Yousei Bishoujo ga Nounai de Tasuke wo Motometekurundaga?

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132. There are people who are happy in prison

『”Atsushi-san. You know, I’ve never been to prison in my life. This is my first time. So I’ve never seen the inside of a prison, and I don’t even know how to meet people in prison. The only knowledge I have about it is from manga, anime, and dramas. So, I’m fully aware that I’m not in a position to say what is right.”』

Atsushi thought it was normal.

There was no way an ordinary person, especially a first-year high school student, would know the details of a prison. And just like Yuri said, most ordinary students’ knowledge about it would only come from manga, anime, and drama. On the contrary, if they knew, there must be something unordinary that had happened to them.

『”But, still, let me say it… As expected, I don’t think this is right…”』

As usual, Yuri was expressionless, but she was… in a state of reluctance due to the current situation.

『”Eh? What do I mean by that? I’ve never thought that to go inside a prison, you’ll be forced to go through checkpoints and luggage inspections more than ten times, and on top of that, you’ve to take the elevator down to the basement? Really? No, let’s assume taking an elevator is normal. But it’s going down, you know? What’s more, there’s no indication of the number of floors. Is this really a prison? Besides, we’ve been a while and it hasn’t stopped. It can’t be the B 2th or B 3th, right? It’s completely on the B 20th or B 30th, right? Eh? Perhaps, is this Imp〇〇 d〇wn? Are we going straight to LEVEL 5?”』

『”Calm down Shirasawa. Your parable is going astray again.”』

While saying this, Atsushi also had his own thoughts about the situation.

He understood that prison was a foreign place for him and Yuri. But even so, it was clearly strange to have such a strict check, and to take an elevator that they didn’t even know where it would take them.

『”… but, well, as you said, this isn’t normal.”』

『”No, no, Atsushi-san. It’s not just that level. Well, there are psychics like us in the world, and there are people who use hypnosis, and people who somehow can get every information. But as expected, this is breaking the worldview…”』

『”Alright, stop. I mean, don’t call it a worldview. Your words are getting hard to understand.”』

Above all, Yuri was still expressionless. To be told that it was breaking her worldview… of course, Atsushi wasn’t convinced.

Right after that conversation ended, the elevator finally stopped.

“It’s here”

The door opened. They followed Kirishima.

It was literally a straight path. There were some surveillance cameras on the walls and ceiling, but that was it, nothing else.

And at the end of the one-way road… there was something that looked like a cell.

What… is this…?

Involuntarily, Atsushi thought of such a thing.

That should be the case. What he saw was definitely iron bars. However, inside it was like a room in a super high-class hotel, with a bed, TV, bookshelves, and many more.

It didn’t look like a cell inside a prison.

『”Atsushi-san. I withdraw my previous statement. Apparently, this isn’t the world of “One p〇〇ce”, but the world of “B〇ki the Gr〇〇pler”.”』

『”Stop it. I’m having a hard time following.”』

As Atsushi replied, the man who was inside the prison raised his face.

He looked like in his early thirties. His long black hair reached the floor and his bangs hid his eyes. His body was so thin that Atsushi thought it would break if he twisted it.

Delicate. That was Atsushi’s first impression of the man.

“―――Yo. You finally came, Sumi. I miss you.”

“Yes. It’s been a while, father.”

To the man who greets him with a smile, Kirishima replied naturally.

This man is…

The man was Kirishima’s father, the former leader and also the founder of Father’s Lake, named “Touya Kadokuro”.

“You’re not alone today”

“Yes. I’ve caused trouble to these two., also one of them wanted to meet you.”

“Hmm. That means… you must be the son of those two. I see, I see. Well, you sure look like them.”

The man looked at Atsushi intently while stroking his chin, as if he were observing something unusual.

And ironically, even though it was the man who was in the prison, Atsushi felt like he was the one under surveillance.

“Hello, I’m Touya Kadokuro. Nice to meet you, Atsushi Yamagami-kun”

“……”

“Oho. You don’t need to be on guard.”

“Of course I need. I mean, can you get along with my parents?”

“Hahaha. Don’t be so harsh. But, yeah, you’re right. It’s because of your parents that I’m here now. It would be natural to hold a grudge against your parents… But don’t get me wrong, I’ve never held a grudge against you or your parents. Rather, I respect them.”

“What did you say?”

Atsushi unintentionally uttered a question at the unexpected words.

The organization that Kadokuro had created was destroyed by Atsushi’s parents. Even if he said that he never held a grudge against them, or even respected them, there was no way Atsushi could believe him.

“They destroyed the religious group I created. Only two people, and yet managed to do that. Both physically and mentally. They completely overthrew the trust of the believers, and even the “soldiers” I sent were completely destroyed. And they even threw me here. From a general point of view, I should’ve held a grudge against them. But actually, I have my own thoughts. I thought that their skill was amazing. That’s all. If you don’t mind, I’d like to hear about their current situation…”

“I’m sorry, but father, could you talk about that next time? I just came here today because I wanted to ask you something.”

When Kirishima interrupted her father’s words, her father spread his hands with a troubled look on his face.

“You want to ask something? I see. What is it? We’re father and daughter, aren’t we? Ask me anything. Any question, I’ll answer my daughter’s question.”

There was no hostility in Kadokuro’s words. Perhaps, it was because he was dealing with his daughter, still, Atsushi couldn’t help but be suspicious of him, since he was the founder of Father Lake.

To such a father,

“Then let me ask you straight ―――why did you attack us, can you tell us the reason?”

Kirishima said so in a monotonous and straightforward manner.

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TN: I know this is sudden but, this is the end for now, the author has been on hiatus from writing anything since last year, I don’t know whether this’ll be continued again or not.

TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

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131. Foreshadowing can’t always be trusted

Not long after successfully defusing the bomb, the police arrived.

The people who attacked Atsushi, Kirishima, and Yuri were arrested, but unfortunately, they weren’t hooked on the culprit. The culprit was, apparently, a fairly well-prepared fellow, and left no evidence of any kind.

Despite the bold actions, such as gathering people with a grudge against Kirishima and trying to attack using bombs, it was clear that the culprit was a troublesome person.

But strangely enough, Kirishima made a clear declaration to Atsushi, who thought that they would be attacked by some kind of trick again.

「”Even if I said this, you may don’t believe it. Sure I don’t know who that man who called us is, but at least I can say for sure that you won’t be involved in this matter anymore.”」

These were the words Kirishima said after the interview with the police was over.

Atsushi thought it was strange, or rather, extremely incomprehensible. After all, she said that even though she didn’t know the true identity of the opponent. However, there was a kind of certainty in Kirishima’s expression as she declared.

And that was why he thought that Kirishima must know the root of this turmoil.

His prediction was spot on.

「“I think there are a lot of things you want to ask, but I’ll explain that at a later date. I need some time… to prepare my heart for various things. Rest assured. I won’t run away. After all, in order to put an end to this turmoil, I have to get you guys to go with me.”」

In response to those words, Atsushi simply said, “Got it.”

And a few days later,

『”――――Wait a minute, this is strange.”』

Yuri sent such a telepathic telepathy next to Atsushi, who had come with him to the meeting place designated by Kirishima.

“What?”

『“What? Don’t just “what” me? I mean, what is this situation? Even though nothing happened at the inn after that, but still, such an incident happened to us. But, that’s it? No way, right? Normally, after the bomb got defused successfully, it should be the time for someone to say “The culprit is among us”, but what? Not only that we haven’t found the culprit, but also no other incident happened!? At least, by this time, it should be the second and third incidents!!”』

“Shirasawa. I always say this, but sometimes I have trouble processing what you’re saying.”

Atsushi responds with amazement to Yuri, who was expressionless as usual but sends incomprehensible words.

However, Yuri didn’t stop, and continued to talk without caring about what Atsushi had said.

『”I mean, I was imagining that ghosts might cause an incident you know?! I even prepared myself and thought of various countermeasures!! Well, in the end, if a ghost was the cause of that incident, I would be frightened, or rather, on the contrary, I would’ve shouted, “Heeeyyy, how many genres are you mixing?!!…”.  Although I’m glad that didn’t happen, but still!!” 』

“About that… Well, I thought of that outcome a little too.”

A surprise attack by masked men at an inn, followed by a time bomb, followed by a ghost appearing.

……Well, normal people would’ve got a hard time putting it into a single genre.

『”I mean, what’s the purpose of having people with the name “Kaneda” and “Egawa”?! Well, Egawa-san saved us!! But, If those two, who had such a name, were there, at least a hundred, no, two hundred incidents more would happen, right?!”』

“Alright, stop it there. It’s about time I seriously don’t understand the meaning.”

Feeling that the conversation had further lost track, Atsushi said so.

Although he understood what Yuri wanted to say very well. But Kaneda and Egawa were just a novelist and manga artist. Nothing more than that.

Or rather, if that wasn’t the case, it would be really bad. Really.

“Since no incident happened, we should be happy. Imagine, if there really were a second or third incident after that, the scope of this incident would’ve grown more than what we can handle.”

『”Well, that’s true, but but…”』

Yuri was still not convinced. However, Atsushi’s point was reasonable, and she couldn’t continue that topic, so she brought up another topic.

『“So, we came here just as Kirishima-san told us…….”』

“Can’t you be more articulate? I can’t understand your telepathy.”

『”No no, it’s not a matter of being articulate or anything like that… Or rather, Atsushi-san. How can you casually accept Kirishima-san’s invitation? What if it’s a trap?”』

It was a natural question.

Considering the relationship between Atsushi and Kirishima, it was a possible scenario.

However, Atsushi immediately denied those words.

“I’m sure it’s not a trap. Judging from her reaction, it’s clear that she’s also a victim of this incident. If everything was just according to the scenario she wrote, and coming here was a trap, her acting skills should’ve got a trophy.”

『”That may be true, but then… why didn’t she talk right away? Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea to put off the truth for too long, or make such an ambiguous development.”』

“I understand how you feel, but please understand how she feels. As you know, there are one or two things you don’t want to say to people. Even if you don’t mind telling it, sometimes you need time.”

There were things that one didn’t want to talk about. It wasn’t a strange thing. And for Kirishima who had been through a lot of trouble because of her father, in her case, there were probably more than one or two things she didn’t want others to know.

But she still said clearly, that she had no intention of running away. That she just wanted some time.

When Atsushi heard it, he thought that it must be something that Kirishima wouldn’t speak casually to others, so he didn’t pressure her.

” ―――Seems, I’ve made you wait for long.”

And then, at last, Kirishima came.

“Then, shall we go now?”

“What’s with the hurry… I mean, before that, I want you to tell us, where are you taking us?”

It wasn’t that Atsushi doubted Kirishima’s words. However, it was only natural to wonder where they were headed from now on.

And, precisely because Kirishima also understood that, she plainly said,

“Don’t worry, it’s not a very dangerous place――― just a prison.”

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TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

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130. A hint can be anywhere

Egawa dismantled the bomb smoothly.

Clearly, she cut the cord in a familiar way, and as she said, the way she did it was like that of an experienced person.

However, things didn’t end so easily.

“… this is bad”

Egawa suddenly stopped her hand.

“B-bad?”

“Umm… you see, it’s only left the red and blue lines, but I don’t know which one to cut. Kuh, even though I knew all the other lines right away.”

While saying that, Egawa observed the wiring.

『”Red and blue… well, it’s like a movie, isn’t it?”』

Atsushi was of the same opinion, albeit reluctant to admit it. The last two lines, were red and blue. He never thought that a scene like this would be in real life.

If only it was in a movie… but he was in undeniable reality, so something had to be done.

『“Atsushi-san, don’t you think there’s a letter or something in the bag? Usually, in such a case, the culprit will think of ‘Let’s give a hint’, and a piece of paper with a hint written on can be found there……”』

“You’re not nervous at all huh? I mean, why do you think there’s such a thing….”

At that moment, a single card suddenly entered Atsushi’s field of vision. It stuck on the outside of the attache case, as if asking him to look at it.

“What’s it… an upside-down crow?”

“……hey, let me see.”

Kirishima looked at the card in the attaché case and widened her eyes in surprise.

“………………………Yeah, right.”

Kirishima muttered in a low, really low voice as if understanding everything.

“Now, now, which cord should I cut…”

“Red…”

Kirishima gave straightforward instructions to the troubled Egawa.

“…cut the red cord. That will stop it.”

Rather than being full of confidence, Kirishima had an attitude that seemed to say that there was no other answer. Even though she knew that the time bomb would explode if she was wrong, she believed that her word was absolutely not wrong.

“……can I believe you?”

“Yes”

In response to Atsushi’s question, Kirishima still answered with dignified words.

Atsushi and Kirishima hadn’t been on friendly terms before. For Kirishima, Atsushi’s parents were enemies after all. And, he was troubled by her in the past.

But still, after considering them, Atsushi declared to Egawa,

“Egawa-san. Please cut the red code.”

“….. Are you sure?”

Atsushi strongly nodded at Egawa’s words.

Over the past two months, Atsushi thought he had a rough idea of ​​what kind of person Kirishima was. And he couldn’t think she would lie under these circumstances. In the first place, there was no merit for her lying here.

“…………i-it stopped.”

As soon as the red cord was cut, the bomb’s timer stopped. At that moment, everyone was relieved and let out a big breath.

However, one question crosses everyone’s mind.

『”B-but, why? Why it’s the red cord……”』

“Upside-down crow”

Yuri’s questioned Kirishima by telepathy.

In response, Kirishima replied immediately.

“In that situation, the crow will cry “caw, caw”, right?

“Ka-, ka-… that’s why it’s red…” [TN: aka means, red]

Certainly, it was a hint.
But, then another question…

“But, that’s…”

『”It’s a pun, or rather…”』

“It’s too easy for a mystery. Is what you think, right? Of course. I mean, this mystery was made so easy that even a kid could solve… purposedly by “that person”.”

”  “That person”……?”

Atsushi frowned when Kirishima said something meaningful, but before he could ask further, her cell phone rang.

And, Kirishima answered the phone.

“Good timing, but I have something to say to you.”

「”Oh? This is rather an unexpected reaction. I thought you would be in a more surprised state.”」

“Yeah, sure. I was surprised that you called me at this timing. But, that doesn’t matter. I can see the root of this series of turmoil already.”

「”……Hooo. So you know who I am?”」

“Well? Doesn’t matter anyway. I don’t care who you are. I mean ――― I can guess who’s the one ordering you. A pawn like you isn’t important.”

「”…………Well, aren’t you quite straightforward.”」

Provocative words from Kirishima to the unidentified man. And, as if to say that she knew it all, Kirishima continued.

“Tell that person. I’ll go to visit soon, so please don’t interfere with me or my surroundings until then.”

「”Well… that’s another straightforward word from you.”」

“What? Have any complaints?”

「”No, no. If you noticed already, my job is done, and the contract is over… Well, I understand. I’ll make sure to let my employer know. Well then.”」

The call ended there.

Just from how the conversation was going, Atsushi could roughly understand who was on the other end of the phone. But he still asked Kirishima.

“Kirishima, the phone call just now, was from the one who called before, right…?”

“Yeah. It was that guy again. But it’s okay now.”

“No, it’s not okay…”

For Atsushi who made a confused expression,

“Really, it’s okay now. After all ――― this case, has been solved.”

Kirishima declared.

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TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

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129. Sometimes movies have too many explosion scenes

A scream suddenly echoed.

If this was a horror story, most likely someone was killed, or a strange human invaded, or a ghost appeared, or something like that. In fact, the people who tried to attack them came in front of Atsushi and the others. So, it was no surprise if that kind of strange thing happened.

But,

“——time, bomb?”

As expected, the development was too unexpected.

“Y-yes… I-I just got a strange phone call… seems a time bomb has been set up in this inn. I was told to check it if I thought it was a prank, so I checked it…”

“You found this. Is it?”

An attache case was found in the room of the people who attacked Atsushi and his friends. Inside, it was a typical time bomb.

『“……Eh? W-w-wait a minute. What is this hyper-unexpected-development? If it’s a murder case, or a murderer has come, or a ghost has appeared, I can still understand. It’s a remote inn after all. There may be such developments. It’s a development you usually see in horror or mystery novels after all. But… Huh? a time bomb? Really, wait a minute. When did this world become the movie of Detective Con〇〇?”』

“I know your feeling, but calm down. Your words start to go in a strange direction. Also, what’s with that specific example…”

Atsushi criticized Yuri’s telepathy.

Certainly, there was an explosion scene in the Detective Con〇〇 the movie every time, but it wasn’t the time to think that.

Looking at the bomb in the attache case, Atsushi suddenly said,

“The possibility that this is a fake…”

“Unfortunately, no.”

Atsushi’s words were interrupted by Egawa, who came in a yukata.

“Egawa-san. How can you be so sure?”

“Well, I’m a mystery manga artist, so I’ve thought about how to kill people with bombs several times. I’ve learned everything about how to dispose of bombs.”

“No, why did you need to be so detailed for a manga……”

“Hm? Because the picture would look better, wouldn’t it?”

A way of saying it as if it were a matter of course. But, sure the reason was exactly what a manga artist would say.

“For the time being, could you bring the owner of this attache case here?”

“I understand”

Egawa told Atsushi to immediately bring one of the masked men.

And when he explained the current situation.

“T-time bomb!?”

The man looked surprised.

“Right, I mean look, what is this?”

“I-I don’t know, something like a time bomb can’t be…”

“Play dumb huh? How can you don’t know anything? I mean, this attache case is your luggage, right?”

“It’s true. That luggage can’t be ours. It must be that man’s.”

“That man?”

“The man who planned this. Like us, he seemed to be thinking of taking revenge on that woman, so he made various arrangements. I was instructed by him. I tried to get you involved together because of that person’s instructions.”

“The man who made the plan huh……”

Must be the same guy as the one who called last time.

“So, where is the man?”

“I-I don’t know. I didn’t actually meet him, we were always talking over the phone. Information exchanges and packages were all sent one-sidedly…”

Communication without meeting the person directly. The culprit sure had a cautious personality. If so, no way that kind of man would go all the way to a place like this. That meant, asking the culprit how to defuse the bomb would be out of the option.

Atsushi realized that, then said,

“Anyway, let’s get out of here quickly. I feel bad for the people at the inn, but we can’t deal with the bomb, and even if we try to ask them how to defuse it, they don’t know…”

“Ah, um, about that…”

Then, the owner awkwardly interrupted Atsushi’s words.

“Actually, during the phone call just now, the person said, “if even one person escapes from this inn, the bomb will explode immediately. It’s the same as getting the bomb out in some way. If you want to stop it, you can try to defuse it inside the inn.”……”

“Hah…?”

A quite unreasonable warning.

Certainly, even if you set a bomb in a place, if everyone evacuated from there, there would be no point in planting the bomb. Therefore, it wasn’t strange that the culprit gave such a warning.

The only question was whether it was true, or not.

“… Egawa-san. What do you think?”

“I want to say it’s just a bluff…  but I can’t say with certainty that he’s a liar because he did something so elaborate.”

“Right…”

Most likely, the culprit wasn’t here. But it wasn’t zero chance. There was still a possibility that the culprit kept an eye on this place in some way, and that if someone escaped, the bomb would explode immediately.

In this kind of situation, poor judgment could be fatal.

What to do…

When Atsushi was pondering what to do,

“All right. Then, the method we should take is to defuse the bomb. Then, let’s get started.”

Egawa said that and sat down in front of the bomb.

“Ah, hey, Egawa-san, what are you…”

“As you can see, I’m going to defuse the bomb. It doesn’t look that complicated. Tweezers, a thin plastic plate, and a piece of gum will do just fine. Excuse me, owner-san, can you prepare them immediately?”

“A, y-yes. If it’s tweezers and gum… but what kind of thin plastic plate…?”

“Well, I will prepare it myself. For now, please bring those two here.”

“Y-yes…”

Saying that, the owner went to get the tools she was told.

“You look so worried. Don’t worry. When I went to Hawaii, my father taught me how to disarm a bomb.”

“You know, that statement makes me want to question you even more…”

“Hahaha. Just kidding. Well, rest assured, I’m confident in my ability to dispose of bombs. Didn’t I tell you earlier? I said I knew a lot about bombs. I’ve even defused a bomb before, so leave it to me.”

Egawa spoke confidently.

It didn’t look like she was lying, but Atsushi couldn’t help but be stunned by her career which was too far from a normal manga artist.

“But, it’s a strange time bomb.”

“Strange?”

“Yep. Usually, bombs these days are equipped with things like mercury levers and vibration detectors. Give them even a little bit of vibration, and they’ll explode. Bang. That’s why, usually you would freeze it, move it to another place without any people nearby, and detonate it. But, this time bomb doesn’t have anything like that. It’s so simple, rather, it’s safe to say it’s old-fashioned. Outdated.”

Based on what Egawa said, it sure was strange.

Why the culprit, who did such an elaborate thing, used such an old-fashioned bomb? If the culprit intended to kill them, a more advanced bomb should be the best. But Atsushi knew well, it wasn’t the time to think about it.

“Now then. It’s time to defuse it with style.”

Saying so, Egawa started dismantling the bomb.

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TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

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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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TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

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127. Friendly fire is scary

“So, do, you, mind, to explain, what this is, all about, right now.”

Kirishima said while glaring at Atsushi and Yuri with an expression as if possessed by a vengeful spirit. Her face was clearly sullen, or rather, her anger meter was broken through, to the point it didn’t show on her face.

Atsushi spoke plainly to her.

“Explanation? It is what it is.”

“Hah? Let me ask. If someone was sleeping, and that singing voice suddenly reverberate in their heads, what would happen? Honestly, they might die of shock…”

In a sense, that statement was, true.

Yuri’s sudden attack in the brain was directed at everyone inside the room, regardless of enemy or ally. Probably because she was in a state of anger that she couldn’t make fine adjustments such as, whom she should attack. In short, it was what they called “friendly fire”.

“Hmm, calm down, don’t get so angry. I mean, I understand your feeling, like really. But, it’s because of her that we’re saved from these people.”

While saying that, Atsushi pointed at the masked people who were tied up.

Yuri’s “brain recital” was as powerful as ever, knocking out all of them within a few seconds.

……Well, from the point of view of Kirishima, who was forced to listen while she was sound asleep, it was brutal. So, it couldn’t be helped that she wanted to let out her anger.

“Still… I mean, how can you be so calm after hearing that?”

“Calm? Not really. My vision was shaky until just now, and I honestly felt nauseous. I’m still dizzy even now. But, that’s all. There’s no other dangerous problem.”

“Seriously? You’ve got no problem?”

Rather, the fact that Atsushi still remained conscious, also his strong mental strength made Kirishima both surprised and dumbfounded.

After Atsushi’s dizziness was completely gone, he realized something.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve heard Shirasawa’s singing.

Until today, Atsushi had been helped in many ways by Yuri’s brain recital, but he didn’t really know its power. And with this experience, he was able to affirm how dangerous Yuri’s attacks were.

“So? Why is the brave person who defeated them holding her knees in the corner of the room?”

“Ah, where to start huh… the shock of having her precious game device destroyed, and the guilt of getting us involved in her attack, are mixed together, and thus, she’s in that state.”

“I see… well, at the very least, she’s reflecting on it…”

Reflecting… wasn’t exactly the right word. Right now, Yuri seemed to have lost her soul rather than reflecting on her action.

After all, what Yuri sent with her telepathy to Atsushi was only

『“Fufu, fufufufu, fufufufufu, fufufufufufufufufufu……”』

An eerie laugh. And Atsushi fully understood that no matter what he said to her, would be meaningless for now.

“Well, let’s leave her alone for now. And shall we get to the real problem?”

“Right. Let’s hear what they have to say.”

While saying that, the two turned their gazes to the masked people.

“….. You think, we’ll just give you information?”

“Yes, of course. Listen, even though I look like this, I’m good at making people open their mouths you know. And luckily, I’ve brought along various tools just in case. Also, I just made a new drug recently. What a good timing to experiment with that, ufufufu.”

The fearless smile on Kirishima’s face reminded Atsushi, that she was a little crazy in her head.　

“Oi, what did you just say? New drug? Don’t overdo it. what if something unexpected happens? Also, I report this to the Chairman.”

“…Hey you. Can’t you read the atmosphere? Why do you want to do it peacefully in this situation? Or rather, do you think you can do something about me if you tell the Chairman? I admit that I can’t stand against him in many ways, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go against him at all, you know?”

“Alright, I gotcha. Time to email him, “Kirishima made some new strange drug again, so please give her a sermon.”……”

“Stop. His sermon is long and tedious. Really, don’t do it. Stop.”

It was hard to believe that such a word came from someone who just threatened other. Although Kirishima tried to be strong, deep down, she knew that she would have a hard time dealing Hiiragi and that she wouldn’t want that to happen.

One of the masked people opened his mouth.

“Hah, as expected, she’s the daughter of that mad founder. Did she inherit her father’s method of making people talk?”

“… inherited from, my father?”

Kirishima approached the man who said that and removed the mask.

And, the moment she saw his face, she was convinced of something.

“……I see. It was you guys after all.”

“Do you know him?”

“Yes… Well, in short, he’s a family of a “Father’s Lake” believer… surely the others too.”

Indifferently, Kirishima muttered such a thing while narrowing her eyes.

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TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

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126. Charging is needed almost everywhere in a modern society

『”Atsushi-san. It’s unbelievable but I can’t sleep, so let’s talk for a while.”』

『”Seriously… I thought you said you just said you were going to sleep? Did I mishear it?”』

It was midnight. The lights in the room were off and only pitch black in the field of vision.

So, getting telepathy from Yuri, Atsushi was surprised but replied back.

Sure enough, he didn’t speak out loud. After all, he didn’t want to disturb Kirishima.

『”…So? What do you want to talk?”』

『”About this case. What do you think of it, Atsushi-san?“』

『“What do I think huh… well, how should I put it, I think it’s full incomprehensible things…”』

『”I agree. After listening to Atsushi-san’s story, I can’t help but feel that it’s full of loopholes. I mean, in the first place, if you’re going to set something up, there’s no need to call your target to a place like this. The same goes for blowing up a trash can and injuring the Chairman. Regardless of how you wanted to do this, if you could do so precisely like that, shouldn’t it be better to lure your target to a better place?”』

What Yuri said wasn’t wrong.

Atsushi himself still didn’t understand the meaning of bringing him and Kirishima here. If the culprit had something to do with them, why were they brought here? Would be there a special reason for using such a place?

A secluded place like this? In that case, why not called them to some ruin somewhere?

That meant, there should be a reason why they were brought here. But then, why didn’t the culprit do anything right away?

Many things that Atsushi couldn’t make sense of. After all, he only had a little information. Perhaps too little.

『”So, about this situation that we’re in now, what do you think?”』

『”I don’t understand!”』

『”You… but, yeah, of course right…”』

Well, no one knew the answer to this situation.

『“Ah, but, I think it’s certain that Kirishima-san is involved in this.”』

『”Yeah, yeah. Also, I might have something to do with this too. Otherwise, I don’t understand the point of asking me to come here with her. Besides, I’m curious about those words that were in the game.”』

The word “Father’s Lake” was in the VR game. It couldn’t be just a coincidence, at least, Atsushi was sure it had something to do with this case.

『”When I heard that ‘Father Lake’ might be involved, I thought that the remnants of the believer came to take revenge on Kirishima or me, but… it still doesn’t make sense to me, for luring us here…”』

『”What do you mean?”』

『”If they were aiming for Kirishima to take revenge on the founder who deceived them, why they would want me to come along? On the other hand, if they still believe the founder and have a grudge against my parents who crushed their religious organization and so set their sights on me, they don’t need to call Kirishima.”』

『”Aーh, that’s true”』

As Atsushi said, it would have been easier to guess the reason if only one of them was asked to come here. Asking them both, only complicated things after all.

『“Well, it can’t be helped. Rather, it’s better to be positive. Physics, ghosts, whatever you are, bring it on!! Let’s take it easy like that.”』

『”Stop. Stop raising a bad flag, can’t you? No matter how, that phrase sounds very dangerous.”』

Atsushi commented on Yuri’s explosive remarks, even though he himself made some incomprehensible remarks.

『”Ah, hear me, I just thought about one thing… isn’t this the pattern of when the target lets their guard down and you would catch them? That’s what the situation we’re in right now, right…?”』

『”Oi, oi, oi, stop it. Don’t raise the flag even higher. But wait… you might be right.”』

The next moment after Atsushi responded.

The door of the room suddenly opened, and countless figures entered the room.

“Hm!!?”

Atsushi jumped out of the futon involuntarily and stood there.

Looked around in the dark with vigilance. Fortunately, thanks to the moonlight illuminating the room, he was able to catch the other person’s appearance in his field of vision.

Several people wearing black clothes and masks, huh…?

Atsushi couldn’t tell the gender because of the mask, but considering the posture, probably all of them were male.

Having a general grasp of the surrounding situation, Atsushi then said a few words to Yuri for the time being.

『”… Oi, look, it’s because you didn’t stop saying things like that. What should we do now?”』

『”Eh!? It’s my fault!? I mean, it’s true that I might have raised a flag, but I don’t think anyone would really expect to collect it with such haste!!”』

Yuri insisted on her innocence with all her might.

But, that aside, Atsushi opened his mouth and threw a question to the shadow.

“…Oi, who are you?”

“I have no obligation to answer. Be a good child and follow us.”

“Do you think I’ll just say, “yes”?”

“Don’t you think it’s better for you to do that?”

“Well? I wonder…”

“I see…… then it can’t be helped.”

After saying that, the masked men slowly started walking toward the three.

CRACK!!

Just a few steps, and there was the sound of something breaking.

“Ah……”

Involuntarily, Atsushi let out a voice.

It was the sound of one of the masked people stepping on “something”.

That “something” was the game device that Yuri brought. Yuri put it in on charge before going into the futon. And it was left on the floor instead of in the bag.

Naturally, Yuri, who was awake, witnessed the cruel spectacle without a blink.

“………………………………”

Speechless. Yuri was frozen on the spot, feeling as if her soul just left her body.

But, as if to tell that the soul went back to the body in a rush, telepathy was sent to Atsushi.

『”Fufu, fuhihi, hihihihihihihihhihihihihihihi―――”』

An eerie laugh was transmitted by telepathy.

Apparently, Atsushi wasn’t the only one hearing it.

“W-what is it!?”

“I can hear a voice, a woman’s voice, in my head…!?”

The masked people panicked. Their surprise was normal. Anyone would panic if they suddenly heard an eerie woman’s voice they didn’t know in their head.

But, without minding them, Yuri continued,

『”You have done it, you really have done it, you really f*cking have done it. Bastards.”』

Yuri’s words were a mixture of despair and rage. In addition, there was no light in her eyes, only murderous intent.

『”Have you gone to the washroom? How about your prayer to God? Are you ready to beg for your lives, shaking in the corner?”』

Atsushi thought.

There were only a few people who knew that those were from an anime. [TN: Hellsing]

But that aside, in short, something dangerous would happen soon.

Without a doubt, that attack, her best skill, would be showed.

『”…If so, please enjoy my performance. “Kaikaikitan” – 30 minutes endurance mode!!”』 [TN: It’s Jujutsu Kaisen OP 1]

After that.

The screams and lamentations of the masked men resounded in the room.

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TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

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125. Sleeping side by side isn’t only when you’re sleeping with parents

No need to confirm that the three were now half-intimidated by an unknown opponent.

However, nothing much that they could do now.

In a situation like this, as expected, it would be better to loosen the sense of tension.

And that, was what they were doing after returning to their room. But not in a way that Kirishima had expected.

“So, why are we playing Tokusatsu fighting games now of all time?”

Looking at Yuri and Atsushi, Kirishima reflexively said so.

『”What are you talking about, Kirishima-san? Speaking of spending a night at an inn, of course, it’s to play a fighting game.”』

“Why are you saying it with a tone as if it’s common sense…?’

Kirishima understood that it would be useless even if she wanted to complain, so instead, she let out a long sigh before continuing her words

“In the first place, why do you have two game consoles?”

『”That is, you know it. So that a miraculous event will happen! I mean, this way, you can play with anyone, anytime, anywhere!”』

“A miraculous event…”

“I know what you want to say, Kirishima. But I suggest that you stop there. It’s for your own good.”

『”Eh, what is it, Atsushi-san? Why did you say such a thing as if I’m the one being weird here and that there’s no point in talking further with such a weirdo?”』

“Well, seems you realize it yourself.”

Hearing their conversations, Kirishima understood that Yuri had an extremely disappointing personality, so she didn’t pry into the matter any further.

『”But even so, that, hmm… Isn’t it amazing that there is a novelist and a manga artist with a similar name to you know, ‘Japan’s two great gods of death’ ? Is this the time for a bargain sale of the death flag?”』

“A bargain sale of death flags…… Wait, what are the two gods of death?

『”Well, I mean, no matter where those two go, they’re always involved in an incident where people die. What’s more, the one with the appearance of a child and the mind of an adult, was involved in many incidents in less than a year. And the one who said, ‘In the name of my grandfather’…”』 [TN: Egawa -> Edogawa Conan and Kaneda -> another way of spelling the kanji of Kindaichi]

“Stop, don’t touch the taboo, what if something bad really happens!”

In the world, there were things that shouldn’t be touched, even if the truth behind them hadn’t been made clear.

Anyway, they continued to play games while talking.

『”So, what are you two going to do now?”』

“Even if you ask it, nothing much that we can do now.”

“The other party told us that we’re free for a while, so yeah, I’ll do that for now.”

『”……e? Are you serious? Is that really all you going to do?”』

“Of course not. We’ve been collecting information, you know? But, there’s nothing more we can get since there are almost no employees and visitors.”

“But yeah, it’s certainly strange. Even though the culprit invited us, nothing has been really done to us. Well, it’s possible that the culprit just waiting to catch our guard off…”

It had been several hours since they came here. Sure they were told to do as they please, but Atsushi couldn’t help but find it strange that nothing had happened so far.

…there’s no choice but to wait, still, I can’t help but feel uneasy…

『”Ah, hmmmp, Atsushi-san, that’s a foul, you trapped me to purposely using my special attack at the wrong time, right?!“』

Atsushi won overwhelmingly.

And, it was time to end the game and go to bed.

” ――― So, what’s with this situation?”

Atsushi, who hadn’t noticed until now, finally felt something wrong with the futon. The three futons were put side by side.

『”hm? we’re going to sleep side by side, aren’t we? Ah, what is it, Atsushi-san? Perhaps, you want the middle one?”』

“That’s not it. My question is, why are the futons stuck together?”

『”Eh, I mean, I’m scared.”』

“Why? Are you a child?”

『”Atsushi-san, think. Please think about the situation we’re in right now. Isn’t it a death flag for the one who sleeps separately in this strange situation?”』

“Still, there’s no reason to stick them.”

『”Of course, there is. I need to build a wall on my left and right. It’s for my safety!”』

“What a ridiculous reason…”

Yuri’s reason was way above Atsushi expected. Thinking further about it would only make his brain hurt. That was why he asked for help.

“Oi Kirishima, say something…”

“… Zzzz… Zzzz…”

“Really? That fast?”

Kirishima, his only hope had already fallen asleep with a casual face.

Looking at this behavior of her, Atsushi thought that she also possessed considerable mental strength.

“Both of you… as a girl, you should be cautious in this situation. I’m a man you know?”

『”Eeeh, I mean, it’s Atsushi-san. There’s no need to be vigilant, right? Rather, I feel like I can sleep soundly with peace of mind.”』

“Are you praising me or belittling me, which one is it……”

『”Of course, it’s a praise!”』

In response to Yuri’s quick reply, Atsushi wondered whether he should accept it or object to it, but he chose the former and let out a long sigh.

“Hufff… Whatever.”

And so, Atsushi also got into the futon and fell asleep.

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TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

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124. Being able to eat in any situation is good

『”――――I see… In other words, you both were summoned here by a mysterious person, and then this place was actually an inn built by destroying the grave of a chivalrous thief who was brutally murdered by the villagers a long time ago…”』

“Yeah, that’s right.”

『”Well, umm, is that all you have to say?… I want to comment here and there, but for the time being, the manager here is really a fearless idiot. I mean, what did that person think to build an inn on top of such a place?”』

“Yeah, I agree. But, how can you eat that amount of food in this kind of situation?”

Inside the inn’s restaurant. Atsushi, Kirishima, and also Yuri, who had just arrived not long ago, were having dinner.

Despite the situation they were in, they still needed to take care of their health. Therefore, it was only natural for them to have dinner.

However, as if to say that she didn’t care about such a thing, Yuri was having a hearty meal.

『”I can’t help it. My body has been asking for it. Think, how much physical and mental strength did I use to come this far? Besides, you can’t eat very often at a ryokan. Better think about what you should eat so that you won’t have any regrets later.”』

“Hmm, I kind of understand that feeling, but still…”

Atsushi certainly understood Yuri’s point. Everyone would want to eat as much food as they could while traveling.

If it weren’t for the situation they were in, he would have done the same.

“I’m amazed. Your way of thinking is really like a kid.”

“How can you say that when you yourself are eating a lot too? Hmm? What? Are you that hungry too?”

“……Hah? Do you have any complaints?”

“No, I don’t, but…”

“Rest assured. There’s nothing strange in this dish.”

“Oh, good that you’re affirming it. But, how can you tell it?”

“The smell, the look, the taste, and the feel when I put it in my mouth. Can’t you even think something that obvious?”

“Well… But, I see… Now it’s clear that you’re just like the Chairman, not just a normal human.”

Atsushi unintentionally said such a thing to Kirishima, who said something outrageous so naturally.

If she had supernatural power like mind control or hypnosis, or something like that, Atsushi would have an easier time accepting it. However, even though she wasn’t a psychic, she had extraordinary skills.

“――― my my, oh my, what an amazing sight.”

When Atsushi looked back at the same time he heard that, he saw Kaneda and Egawa were there.

“Eating while sandwiched between two beautiful girls, you’re sure popular.”

“Ah, hello, Kaneda-san. And Egawa-san too.”

“Well well, I never thought I would witness a harem scene at this inn. Two girls trying to win the heart of a man… Wait, this is not an impossible thing to happen. I guess? But, if you put more spice on it… the two girls’ real identities are the daughter of which parents he killed. While hiding their identities, they created a reason to bring the man to a remote inn, and there, they commit the perfect crime and make an alibi to get out of…”

Egawa put a hold on Kaneda, who was steadily entering her own world.

“Icchan, I know that everyone has the right to imagine a story, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to say it in front of a person that you used as a model.”

“Well… you’re right. Ahaha, I’m sorry~, you see, I’ve a habit of coming up with ideas as soon as I come up with them.”

“Ah, don’t worry, I don’t mind it. But, let me just say it, we’re not in that kind of relationship.”

“Eh~? Are you saying the truth, gozaru? Really, gozaru~?”

“Icchan, stop that gozaru, can’t you? It’s annoying, you know?”

Atsushi nodded in his heart to Egawa’s words.

“But, observing people is really important, isn’t it? It can expand your imagination. Seem I won’t be bored for a while.”

“? What do you mean?”

“You see. There was a group of guests that arrived just now. Quite a number too. Look over there.”

While saying that, Kaneda pointed her thumb.

Following the thumb, Atsushi saw about ten people walking.

“I think, they’re probably tourists… But still, don’t you think it’s weird? A group of people coming to stay in such a boring countryside.”

“Hmm… well, that’s true…”

“Perhaps, while pretending to be a tourist, they may actually have some other purpose? Like searching for Mutsu’s treasure. Some people believe that it exists after all.”

“Mutsu’s Treasure…? But, isn’t the story said that it wasn’t here?”

“Yes. But, it’s just a story, and a story, can be a lie, right? There are many people who believe it’s just a story to hide the treasure. Well, people who came here with such an idea, always went back with nothing. Perhaps this time will be the same.”

“But, it’s true that we can’t say for sure that there is no Mutsu’s Treasure, right? Even so, proving that there is none, is almost impossible. It’s what you call ‘probatio diabolica’”

As Kaneda said, it was almost impossible to prove.

But still. It was just Kaneda’s conclusion. Whether the treasure was actually lying somewhere out there or not, no one really knew the truth.

“Icchan, you should stop teasing these kids. Or rather, is it okay if you don’t start work soon? Didn’t you say the deadline is tomorrow?”

“Hahahaha It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m sure it’ll be somehow done by tomorrow!…. Maybe… probably… perhaps…”

“It’s so like you to say something like that.”

“Kuh…!! I mean, didn’t you say that your deadline is today? Have you done your work, no way right…?”

“Well, up until a few hours ago, I was so desperate, but now, I’ve already been released from the deadline, so I don’t care what you say.”

“Ugurh… just because you’ve been released from deadlines, you think you can say whatever you want?… Humm… Kou-chan, let me tell you, the thing called deadline will always come back. I’m sure soon you will be running away from it again!!”

“Yeah yeah. Anyway, we will excuse ourselves. See you.”

Saying that, Egawa and Kaneda left.

Looking at the backs of the two, Yuri sent telepathy to Atsushi.

『”…they both are strange people.”』

“That’s not wrong. But, I think those people probably don’t want to be told that by you.”

Atsushi couldn’t help but utter those words.

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TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

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123. Usually, loners have a hard time going far away alone

Yuri came to the inn, bringing many questions like how and why.

『”Hick… Hick…”』

What bothered Atsushi the most was that Yuri Shirasawa, almost lost her expressionless face and was about to cry for real.

“Wait, what really happened?”

『”Can’t you guess it!? Think, how hard it was to follow you all the way here…!! Sure, all the way to the village was okay, but after that, I realized that I had to ask people for directions, and I couldn’t do that!! After several hours wandering around without knowing left or right, I was approached by a kind woman, and somehow managed to come this far… Do you understand… how hard it was for me, an introverted person, who is also not good at communicating with others… Hick… Hick…”』

“……Eh? Could it be that you were almost in tears just for that reason alone?”

To Kirishima’s words, Yuri countered with telepathy.

『”Just for that reason, you say!!? For me, going out alone is as lonely as going to a foreign country alone!! These days, whenever I went out, I was always with Atsushi-san and others, so it was okay, but how much courage, determination, and preparedness do you think it takes to come to such a remote country alone!!? Please don’t underestimate how introverted I am!!“』

“In the first place, I think it’s a personal problem of yours… am I wrong?”

Just as Kirishima said, Yuri’s opinion was somewhat biased even among someone like her. Or rather, she clearly understood how bad she was at going out alone.

After that, Atsushi cut into the conversation.

“Well, don’t be so mean Kirishima. Shirasawa did his best to get here. Don’t be so harsh.”

“Huh? Wait a minute. Why are you on her side?”

“Ah, umm, how should I put it… It’s so rare for this girl to almost burst into tears like this, so…”

To this day, it could be counted by finger how many times Atsushi had the chance to see Yuri lose her expressionless expression.

Yuri always had a fixed face. Seeing her tattered and trying to hold tears, Atsushi thought it would be so insensitive to be so harsh at her.

“Hey, you”

Saying this, Kirishima pulled Atsushi and began to whisper.

“(Now, what should we do? With her coming here…)”

“(What should we do?)”

“(The two of us were told to come here together, just the two of us, right? If this girl is here, wouldn’t it be bad? The culprit might do something, you know.)”

“(Well, may be?… but it’s already this time, we can’t just ask her go home. I mean, even if we ask, she would definitely not do that.)”

The sun had already set and it was dark outside. In the midst of all this, it would be a bad idea to let a girl go home alone, more so from a far place.

In addition, the number of buses that connected to this village was quite limited, and the time for today’s last bus had definitely passed. Either way, nothing would make Yuri consider going back home right now.

“(… whatever happens from now on, I won’t take responsible)”

“(Got it. I’ll do something about that. Also, I’ll do my best to make her not cause trouble for you.)”

In fact, when Yuri came here, Atsushi had no intention of entrusting her to Kirishima. Or rather, entrusting the dangerous Yuri to Kirishima, would only hurt his conscience, and for some reason, he just couldn’t leave her alone.

“But, how did you know we’re here?”

『”Hick… umm, the Chairman asked me to come here. He said, “Kirishima and Atsushi may be in danger. I know where they are, so please follow them quietly.”, he told me so this morning…』

“Hm? Wait a minute. The Chairman is in the hospital right now, right? How does he know where we are?”

『“I thought about that too, so I asked, but he only told me that he got the information from a certain credible source.”』

“A certain credible source…”

Atsushi was stunned by Hiiragi’s ability to gather any information that was out of the norm.

Hmm? It’s sure strange. Yesterday, we were told to come here after we left Hiiragi’s room and were on the way to go out of the hospital, so how…

Atsushi thought Hiiragi asked Yuri to follow them because they were acting weird, but that didn’t match the timeline of events.

So how did Hiiragi find out that Atsushi and Kirishima were in danger?

However, although Atsushi was curious about it, since Hiiragi wasn’t here, he couldn’t confirm it, so he stopped thinking about it any further.

“…… Still, to follow us all the way to a place like this. I’m sure you’re just that curious about what’s going on, right?”

『”Haaah? What are you talking about, Atsushi-san? There’s no way I would just do nothing if I know that my friend is in danger!”』

“Again, how can you say that kind of thing as if it’s natural.”

『”What? You have something to complain about?”』

“No, that’s not it. I’m honestly happy to hear you said that… so, yeah… thanks, Shirasawa.”

The words were sincere.

Just the fact that Yuri was around, was enough to change the atmosphere… No, to be precise, Atsushi felt relieved. He was a little surprised by this, but he once again understood the greatness of her existence being around him.

But still,

『“By the way, Atsushi-san, have you had dinner yet? I’m, super hungry you know? I’d like to eat a high-quality beef steak, a hamburg steak, and also an assortment of sashimi.”』

“Listen. Just because you came here, don’t think that you can just demand anything you want.”

And as usual, Atsushi couldn’t help but sigh at this side of Yuri.

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TN: Join my discord channel if you want.