Chapter 477
Oo G.o.d! Please Grant Me Salvation!
「And?」
Wooden counter and table set. Leather sofa and lamp with warm color. It was the wonderful café that specialized in salmon sandwich and calm only in the atmosphere, “ILS”.
At the table at the center of it was a man who wasn’t calm at all.
He was this shop’s manager.
His gaze kept wandering around. Even though his large body was visibly well trained, his weighty presence was nonexistent. He was swaying like a willow branch.
「h.e.l.lo, this is Emily. Please connect me with a.n.a.lyst Allen──」
「I’ll talk-, I’ll talk so please don’t call someone licensed to kill here-」
Swiftly notifying the authorities was the duty of civilian. The eyes of Kousuke and Emily who were sitting in front of him were saying that.
For the time being, they hadn’t reported him for real. That included the phone call at the entrance just now. It was just a pretend.
They weren’t strangers with each other, so they would at least listen to his defense.
「This isn’t like you two think! Kousuke-kun and Emily-chan are misunderstanding!」
In exchange of her darling (?) whose face was turning white from sensing that his life was in the verge of ending, Samantha-chan who was sitting at his side leaned forward.
By the way previously, she called Kousuke’s name with the word mister attached because the master of salmon sandwich path and the manager called him head, but now she was addressing him with the familiarness of a friend.
That was because she had gotten closer with the female group, especially Emily while they were coming here as regular customers. And then they went to become friends from there.
Because of that too, their gaze toward Samantha naturally became gentler in this current situation where there was suspicion of her getting deceived by a wicked uncle.
Just like a counselor who was concerned for a victim.
「Samantha, it’s fine you know? Don’t force yourself.」
「I’m not!」
「Samantha, do you know about Stockholm Syndrome?」
「I know but this isn’t that I’m telling you!! Or rather, isn’t the lack of trust from you two toward dar──cough, toward manager a little bit horrible!?」
Even if you say that……Emily and Kousuke thought while looking at each other.
Because, Woody was an illegal agent of a secret organization that was even more evil than mafia. Although he had washed his hands from the organization, even now he was still a grey zone uncle who was connected to the underworld as an information broker.
Originally, he wasn’t someone that a wholesome and diligent university student like Samantha should be involved with.
「Geez, listen to me properly! This is just a misunderstanding!」
「I get it I get it. We’ll listen properly. And, what do you mean it’s a misunderstanding?」
「It was me who a.s.saulted him!」
「「Guilty」」
Of course, the guilty one was Manager Woody. Kousuke and Emily’s scornful gazes pierced Manager Woody once more.
A man of the underworld who was used to rough matter, couldn’t possibly lose against a female college student who never even got into a fight, much less knowing martial art.
In that case, it was only natural to guess that he induced her to act like that, or else he joyfully enjoyed the feast that was presented before him with the light feeling of 「Profit!」 when originally he should be remonstrating her.
Either way this uncle was out.
「You see, last week was my birthday.」
「Eh, is that so? Congratulations, Samantha! I would prepare a present if you told me!」
「Fufu, thank you, Emily-chan. But everyone seemed busy, so I thought that telling about it wouldn’t be right.」
「Well, in fact we weren’t able to come here for two months. In any case, congrats.」
「Thank you, Kousuke-kun! And then you know, manager knew about my birthday right?」
「He’s your employer after all.」
「Yep, and, I jokingly asked manager. Celebrate with me. Bring me to an amazing shop that I never visited before, a shop that I absolutely can’t go to if it’s with my college friend! I said to him.」
「Aa, I see.」
Samantha too knew that Woody was a grey zone uncle. And so she had a bit of longing, or should she say that her curiosity was itching. For that kind of hidden shop with slightly dangerous and mature atmosphere.
And so, seeing that it was her birthday, and that she had been doing good work until then, Manager Woody brought her to such place as reward.
「It was really a hidden shop. I completely got carried away. Should I say that it made me feel like a heroine in a spy movie?」
「I somehow get it. It’s tantalizing isn’t it, that kind of thing.」
Emily too seemed to get it. Although she had experienced a hidden world that would make even spy movie went pale, even Kousuke didn’t know of any shop like that so she never went to one.
Kousuke too must be getting it. 「That’s certainly nice. A shop that only people of the underworld can enter, where you speak using code or something. That’s romance」 He said with a nod.
He wanted to do cool things like staying in a hotel that was a neutral zone where no fighting was allowed, or having cool dialogue with sommelier of fire arm of tailor of bulletproof vest. It would be nice if there was also something like c.o.c.ktail that was his own personal fixation! Because, he was a boy!
Manager Woody smiled a bit wryly listening to such conversation between Kousuke and the girls. But he immediately tightened his expression. Because the talk arrived to the core of the matter.
「And then, I unintentionally drank too much. I’m a type who doesn’t turn red from drinking too much, so when we noticed it was already too, you know……」
「……The way she was drunk it would be dangerous to send her home alone, so I brought her until her home. At that time, if only I didn’t guess wrongly that she’s strong with alcohol-」
Manager Woody’s head slumped down. Samantha continued with an embarra.s.sed look.
「Ehehe, I’m sorry. It was really fun that I unconsciously…. Then, it turned out that I’m apparently a bit of a bad drunk.」
「You can’t call something like that a bit. You’re an awfully clingy drunk.」
It seemed that Samantha-chan was a clingy drunk. Furthermore it wasn’t just verbally, but physically.
It was good that Manager Woody sent her home, but apparently after that she kept clining on him and wouldn’t let go. Just like a child throwing tantrum.
「As expected, there was no way I could just tie her up and left her behind so, well, I tried to give her water and nurse her until her mind clear up while she still clung on me but」
「You couldn’t hold back anymore and attacked her.」
「I didn’t-, head! Please believe meee! I haven’t fallen so far down that my mind would get blown away by a little girl who isn’t even twenty yet!」
「Eh? Ah, is that so? What, so it was just a failed attempt──」
In the end, did Samantha fell in love with him because he didn’t attack her and act gentlemanly till the end? Kousuke and Emily were about to make such conclusion, but Manager Woody averted his gaze quickly from them.
It seemed that it wasn’t a failed attempt.
「Oi, Woody」
「Kousuke-kun, it was my fault! I felt lonely when manager tried to lie me down and go home somehow, no, perhaps I was irritated that he treated me like a child? I was drunk so that I don’t really remember about that but, anyway, I went and did it!」
「W-what did?」
「The thing that Emily-chan gave me before for self-protection, err, an artifact? I used that……」
「Eh? That thing for creating barrier and firing shockwave?」
「Yesss…….」
And, it seemed that Manager Woody was splendidly knocked out from that.
Certainly, that was truly a bad drunk behavior. Even Emily was holding her head with perplexed look. Even though that wasn’t her intention when she asked the demon king-sama for that artifact……
Though in Samantha’s defense, it seemed that she only tried to deploy a barrier to prevent Manager Woody from leaving instead of firing the shockwave. It seemed that she had clearly remembered that the barrier could be used not only to protect herself, but also to restrict the opponent’s movement.
By the way, such artifact was requested because Manager Woody was a former residence of underworld, and because she had connection with them returnees who tended to run into some kind of trouble, so if Samantha became their friend, they thought that she would also need something to protect herself with, just in case.
It wasn’t for preventing someone of the opposite s.e.x from going home in her drunkenness, not even in a million years.
「After that, seeing manager unconscious with his eyes rolled back I, lost my head……I thought that I killed him!」
「No, didn’t we explain to you that the artifact isn’t so strong it can kill?」
「Kousuke, you know, Samantha has this habit to blindly belief……」
In addition to that she was drunk. Once she got it into her head that Manager Woody was in danger, she surely wouldn’t be able to calm down. This girl was basically a pain in the neck.
「That was why, the healing potion? I thought to have manager drink that item I received from Kousuke-kun but, I, was completely panicking that I messed up.」
「What do you mean messed up?」
「I opened the special energy drink I got from Emily-chan.」
「「Uwaa」」
Samantha once cried to Emily when she had to study for test, so Emily had certainly handed to her something like that so she could concentrate even more with her study.
At that occasion, what Emily gave to her wasn’t the steel can or injection type, but the test tube type that was for Emily’s own use so she could concentrate for a long time in her research. Certainly that type had similar appearance with the container for healing potion.
Perhaps it couldn’t be helped that Samantha made a blunder if she was panicking……but, for her to really do something like that, she was really running around in circles.
「I made manager drank around half, but he still wouldn’t wake up at all so, I thought ‘eh?’. I could just properly take a look at the tube but, at that time I drank it myself to make sure of the content. And then I found this is energy drink’s taste isn’t it? It had tasty pineapple taste, so I just drank all of the rest.」
「My tsukkomi can’t keep up anymore with this.」
「It’s becoming like a foreign comedy skit.」
Kousuke and Emily looked like they were at their wits’ end by Samantha-chan’s retelling of her rampage.
「Then, it was morning when I realized……I totally crossed the line with manager! Tehe-」
「「Wait wait wait wait-. How did it turn out like that!?」」
You reach that conclusion too quickly! It feels like the time is skipped like King Crims*n you know!? Kousuke and Emily harmonized together in their tsukkomi.
「……This is just my guess but, missy’s energy drink is too potent. I think it became something like stimulant when mixed with alcohol.」
「EH!?」
Manager Woody curled his huge body as small as possible and covered his face with both hands. Like a maiden who had gotten a.s.saulted by a hoodlum.
「I remember it faintly. I was a.s.saulted by Samantha when I came to myself. My awareness was hazy at that time and yet I felt strangely aroused.」
As expected it seemed that his brake broke at that moment. He then went until the finish.
It was morning when he returned to his senses. Manager Woody must be turning white when he saw Samantha sleeping at his side in just her birthday’s suit. I screwed up! He thought.
「I too remember it va~guely. …………Hehe-」
Samantha scratched her head shyly. Based from her expression, it seemed that she didn’t feel any shock from intentionally getting into a relationship with Manager Woody. Rather, she was looking delighted.
Somehow, the situation became Ain’t this mostly the fault of the items that we gave her? Kousuke and Emily also shrunk into themselves with faces that were as white as Manager Woody.
People were permitted to drink alcohol starting from 18 years old in England. Sometimes it was even permitted to drink starting from 16 years old in some places like in restaurant, but Emily wasn’t fond of alcohol.
And so, the effect of her medicine getting combined with alcohol must be a blind spot for her. Emily’s eyes were especially shaken and her gaze was swimming around like migratory fish.
The atmosphere inside the shop became hard to describe.
Awkward……even that word wasn’t enough to describe the mood. The feeling of guilt was crushing…….
Samantha’s shy laugh 「Ehe, eheh」 from recalling that time and the tic tac sound of the clock were the only sounds that could be heard. Those sounds were sounding excessively loudly to their ears.
Seeing Samantha like that, Emily asked her with bewilderment as well as apprehension.
「Err, Samantha……are you fine with that? Or rather, from what we were seeing before this, can I take it that you two are going out?」
「Yep. Darling said that he’ll take responsibility after all!」
「But, there is the age gap, or the underworld work thing……」
「Older man is nice isn’t it. From the start, a slightly bad uncle is totally my type. And about the underworld, what about it. That also apply to even Kousuke-kun and Emily-chan right?」
「T-that’s, true……」
「Besides darling is brusque, but he’s kind regardless, and also reliable, and he teach me about the world that I don’t know about, and his salmon sandwich is great, and he’s an amazing person who’s also connected with other amazing people like Kousuke-kun and friends and the security bureau and its chief……he’s also amazing on bed, kyah?」
「「We don’t want to hear that……」」
「I’m begging you Samanthaa, shut up-」
Darling’s words didn’t reach Samantha-chan who was plunging into her own world.
「Or rather can’t you see it? We had connection at the previous shop, I got fired, then darling was there inside a shop that I coincidentally entered, he was super my type, I got him to hire me, and after that we got together……………………this is already destiny!」
「「「Uwaa……」」」
Even Manager Woody was joining in the chorus.
Samantha-chan’s eyes were sparkling while she was making such rapid fire fervent speech. Her words were overflowing with conviction. Her blind belief habit was in full force. Inside her, Manager Woody and n.o.body else was already fixed in place as her destined one.
Even after that Samantha’s fervent speech continued. Manager Woody’s mind reached the limit and even Kousuke and Emily got sick and tired of it. They became mentally down.
There was also how they originally came here for lunch. They requested Samantha that they wanted to see their salmon sandwich making skill after so long and successfully had her halted her speech.
Show us a worthy sandwich for the girlfriend of the master of a shop that specialized in salmon sandwich! With that command Samantha headed toward the kitchen with buoyant footsteps. Kousuke and co saw her off while secretly exchanging words.
「Well, if Samantha is fine with this then it’s fine……I guess?」
「R-right. It looks like he’s her type from the beginning……so she has middle-aged man fetish isn’t she?」
「Missy, at least say that she has preference for older man……no, it’s nothing -ssu.」
「And, what about you yourself Woody?」
「……I don’t have any standing to be choosy here anyway, head.」
「Even if you say that, you’re practically the victim here though? Rather, this is also because of our oversight……」
「Well, there’s no point in talking about that. It’s something that has already happened after all. Besides, I’m an old man who’s carrying a dirty past after all.」
Manager Woody shrugged while smiling self-depreciatingly. He said that when it came to his worth as human, his couldn’t even be compared with Samantha.
「Regardless of everything it’s that girl’s feeling that need to be prioritized. I’ve thoroughly lectured her to stop chasing after someone like me but it looks like her feeling hasn’t changed at all, then it can’t be helped. I’m resolved to accept everything.」
「Fuuuhn, how laudable of you. But, you going out with her because it can’t be helped, isn’t something like that that problematic in its own way too?」
「That’s not what I mean, missy. I mean that I’m not worthy for her at all.」
There was kindness seeping out from somewhere inside that wry smile. Seeing that expression somehow conveyed to them what Woody wanted to say.
At first he hired Samantha as atonement because they were half the cause of her getting fired from her previous part-time workplace, but the time that Manager Woody had spent together with the energetic Samantha inside this quiet shop where cuckoo tended to chirp mustn’t be a bad time for him too. (TN: There was a saying in j.a.pan, the cuckoo is chirping which meant that a place was quiet or a business was in a slump)
For a former resident of underworld like Woody, perhaps Samantha’s existence looked like a radiant sun to him.
Even if there was no love there was definitely affection there. It seemed that Manager Woody was treasuring Samantha in his own way, more than Emily and Kousuke expected.
As long as Samantha wished for it, Woody would do as she wished.
「Well, she’ll fall out of love with me before long. She’s still young. There’ll be other good men approaching her.」
「Samantha looks like someone with a lot of friend after all.」
「Yes, in fact young customers coming here are increasing from Samantha’s connection. There’re quite a lot of youngsters coming here aiming for her.」
「And yet today the store is relatively deserted though?」
「Sometimes it’s like this.」
By the way, there was no customer when Kousuke and Emily came here was a coincidence, but there was still no customer coming even while they were talking like this was because a barrier was deployed so they could have a private conversation.
The demon king’s quality artifacts had also gotten sent to this store by Kousuke’s request because of its usefulness as an information source. Right now unrelated civilian became unable to approach this place because of a barrier that disturbed people’s perception.
「If your stance is like that, someone’ll really take her away you know?」
「Her having her eyes on me is stupid in the first place. I’ll be relieved instead if someone else catch her eyes.」
Manager Woody shrugged. That must be his true feeling. He was wishing for Samantha’s happiness more than his own.
It was, but……
「Yes, I’m really relieved……」
It seemed, there was also other intention? For some reason Manager Woody was starting to look at the far away. Fleeting……his expression was gradually becoming fleeting! Just like an old man who had sensed that his last day was approaching!
「W-what’s the matter?」
「No, nothing……it’s just, Samantha has this habit to rush madly ahead based on her blind belief.」
「Rush madly ahead? What do you mean?」
「It looks like she want to quickly introduce me to her parents. Or rather, it seems she’s hiding the detail from her parents, but she already told them that she has gotten a lover……」
Emily and Kousuke looked at each other.
「By the way, it seems that Samantha’s parents are the same age with me……」
「「Uwaa……」」
Both Kousuke and Emily’s expressions were twitching.
How would the father felt when his daughter introduced an uncle who was the same age like him as her lover?
When their imagination reached that point, they could only picture a terrifying conclusion in their mind.
Certainly. That kind of scenario also had to be included in the resolve that Manager Woody was making.
「……I can’t complain even if I get killed. Please, I ask you to pick up my bones if that happen.」
「Woody……」
Kousuke quietly handed him a healing potion. It was the highest quality potion among everything in his possession. Even lethal wound should be manageable somehow with that.
「Well, that’s the situation. Can you two accept my explanation?」
Manager Woody accepted the healing potion with great core and put it inside his chest pocket. Kousuke and Emily could only smile bitterly and nod to him.
For the time being, they had no other option than not reporting him.
And so,
「I’m finished~! Try this new product prototype, the salmon pineapple sandwich too!」
「Ha? Pineapple? Just what’re you doing to salmon sandwich?」
Kousuke who belonged to the radical disavowal faction when it came to the usage of pineapple in cooking narrowed his eyes. Right after that.
*Clang-* There was the sound of the door opening.
「Oh, you two are here as I thought!」
Coming in droves through the perception obstruction barrier and into the store were the members of the a.s.sault division led by Barnard.
Woody’s eyes widened. He sent a tragic gaze from betrayal toward Kousuke and Emily!
Kousuke and Emily also desperately shook their heads but……
「Ou, Woody. Why’re you putting up the barrier? You aren’t trying to hide something aren’t youu?」
There wasn’t any sign of people around and the tool that allowed them to pa.s.s through the perception disruptor only limited to this store reacted, so that question was asked. But those words were said at a bad timing right now, in various senses.
A critical hit landed on Manager Woody’s mental.
Even though, Barnard was smiling and from his atmosphere he was clearly just joking.
Manager Woody stood up with a resolved expression.
「Hm? Samantha missy. Is that a new work? Nice, I love pineapple. Give me one of that too──」
Manager Woody walked toward Barnard whose taste was clashing with Kousuke.
Barnard was here only because they heard that Kousuke and Emily were coming here, so he along with his subordinates also came to eat lunch together with them. But Manager Woody kneeled in front of Barnard and held out his hands toward him.
「I did it.」
「Eh? Did what!?」
Captain Barnard was taken aback in surprise.
There, Samantha ran toward Manager Woody with a change in her facial expression and hugged him tightly.
「That’s not true! I’m the one at fault here! I was the one who did it!!」
「That’s why did what!?」
By the way, despite the age gap Samantha was properly of age, so there wasn’t any illegality if both sides didn’t have any complain.
But, perhaps the mentality of worriedly asking oneself that they might have done something wrong even if there wasn’t anything like that when seeing a police officer was at work here. Both of them looked resolved of getting dragged to the office in cuffs. Barnard and his men were all looking bewildered.
「Aby! Just what in the world is going on here!?」
A call for help came from Barnard.
Kousuke sighed. Then he stood up with a heavy gait.
「Haa, even though I only came here for lunch, just why is something like this happening……」
「Isn’t it because you’re the abyss lord(hero)?」
「……」
Emily’s words were incomprehensible but they were strangely persuasive. Kousuke smiled wryly while heading toward them to intermediate.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
After that, around the time when the sky looked like it was burning from the illumination of the evening sun.
「Uu, I’m feeling excessively tired for some reason today……」
「It was also troublesome at afternoon wasn’t it?」
Kousuke and Emily returned to the university after they finished their lunch. Now they had finished their afternoon lecture and were on their way home. They were walking on the street that was dyed orange with a tired look.
Even after they left the chaotic ILS and returned to the university, as expected, a very noisy period was waiting for them.
Kousuke got called by the university’s management where they asked him about his relationship with MP Allgrey, Emily got bombarded with questions by the students about the relationship with MP Allgrey, it seemed the perception rate toward Kousuke was slightly increasing due to his relationship with MP Allgrey and because of it the awareness that Emily had a lover was also spreading slightly and people who were feeling disappointed about it were cropping up, people asking questions about that were also cropping up, they were having to refuse persistent invitation for dinner from that MP Allgrey……
Perhaps this was what people meant by creating a big stir.
In any case, they were heavily fatigued, mentally rather than physically.
Because of that too Kousuke and Emily were going home earlier than usual. They were linking arms and snuggling close to each other while walking to comfort each other’s heart.
「Even so, everyone became smiling even in that atmosphere after eating Woody’s salmon sandwich. He has improved.」
「It was really delicious it was a bit vexing wasn’t it.」
They recalled what happened at ILS and their wry smile deepened.
After that, Barnard and others listened to the situation and naturally their eyes also became really scornful toward the confessing Manager Woody.
Though there were also some of them who had sympathetic gaze 「I know that this would happen one day」 because they knew about Samantha’s tendency to run around in circles (?) and rushing madly ahead based on her blind belief combo (?) but……
It wasn’t really a matter that deserved any imprisonment, and Samantha also looked happy so n.o.body said anything, but this was this, that was that. It couldn’t be helped that their way of looking at Manager Woody became harsher.
The tough-looking men sitting on the counter and tables while their sharp gazes were constantly locked-on at Manager Woody who had gotten their order and started exercising his sandwich making skill was a recipe for an awful atmosphere.
The atmosphere was like “a gathering spot for gang where police officer was banned” that sometimes showed up in movie, or like the immediately destroyed bar(Yellow F*ag) in a certain immoral town when outsider entered. It was so bad that it became impossible to differentiate which was the former outlaw and which was the side in charge of public security.
Manager Woody’s cold sweat was already like waterfall.
The perception disruptor barrier was dispelled at that point of time, so several groups of customers came into the store but……
All of them, male or female screamed 「Hih」 without exception.
They would either rush out of the store hurriedly that they stumbled or quietly closed the door before wordlessly turning around. Although there was difference in their way of turning back, from their reaction it was enough to make one convinced that they wouldn’t come to this store ever again.
The little cuckoo who liked quiet and lonely place would be even more pleased with this store.
Even so, after eating Manager Woody’s salmon sandwich at the end, the expressions of Barnard and his men instantly softened, so it should be said that he was still doing credit to his name as salmon sandwich evangelist (self-proclaimed).
「As expected salmon sandwich is amazing. I was able to pa.s.s my exam, and the wound of my heart always got healed, and a shady person could get reformed, those were all thanks to salmon sandwich!」
「W-what’s with you, Kousuke? You suddenly……」
「Ah, sorry. My salmon sandwich love spontaneously surged out.」
「You like it that much huh. Or rather, it’s already time for dinner. Have you gotten hungry again?」
Emily chuckled. Kousuke too scratched his head. He smiled awkwardly.
Their intimacy made even the people who were also going home or the adults who were watching their children playing in front of their homes to smile too.
For these several months, this was a scene that they had often caught sight of. So some of those people were also greeting them amiably here and there.
They must also be little by little changing their way of seeing Kousuke and Emily’s current residence that had no end of bad rumor in various senses attached to it.
It was a place where many of its former inhabitants had died that the property completely became known as cursed──
「Now then, we’re home.」
「I wonder if everyone else has returned home?」
The house was two sizes bigger compared to the surrounding houses. It was a splendid building that ought to be called as a mansion instead──it was the former Down residence.
Yes, the base where Kousuke and others lived in at Britain was the residence of Reginald Down where Emily was formerly lodging in.
This mansion got sold because its owner died and there was no inheritor for it. Emily wanted to buy it even if she had to borrow money from Hajime.
The reason was simple.
It was because she wanted to inherit Professor Down’s will if only a little. Even though he was someone who betrayed her, it was a fact that he had given her important things. She didn’t want to forget that, so she did this.
In other words, Emily hoped that she too would be able to extend her hand to other students who were suffering due to money, or position, or perhaps human relationship. So she opened this Down residence as a lodging place.
Depending on the situation she had also resolved herself to be the owner as well as the manager by herself, but there was no way Kousuke and Rana and others would let her. Rather they approved what Emily was doing, saying that it was just like her. They decided that if there was student who was placed in a difficult situation, they would give their support together.
As the result currently the number of students in adversity that was living in this Down residence was…………zero!!
「Uwaa, there’re people entering the cursed mansion!」
「There’ll be more dead peopleee!」
Two naughty brats riding bicycle spoke up the moment they opened the front door.
「! Oi! You kids! Don’t say something so ominous!!」
Emily turned around in a flash and yelled angrily. Her side tail turned into a whip that hit Kousuke’s face hard, but she didn’t even notice and raised her fist with a scary look. The naughty brats yelled kyaa cheerfully and ran away.
This was one of the reasons why there wasn’t even a single struggling student living here.
It was also the reason why the way the neighbors looked at Down residence was complicated.
It was only natural. The majority of the inhabitants, students who were still young met gruesome death. It couldn’t be helped that everyone around was harboring vague feeling of avoidance toward this place.
「Muu, this house isn’t related at all with that incident. The people who came to check this place too, I wonder why did they all make a grimacing expression and left? Even though the conditions for living her are really good.」
「Y-yeah, you’re right……I’m sorry I guess?」
「? Why are you apologizing Kousuke?」
By no means that there hadn’t been any applicant at all until now. But, it seemed that they couldn’t endure it here.
Yes, they couldn’t endure the happy aura that Emily was unconsciously radiating while she was showing around the house and giving explanation.
(For young student, Emily is a younger girl regardless of her status and also a beauty after all. Those students must also have their own pride, and some of them also have ulterior motive……is what I thought, so just in case, I always was present as bodyguard too during those times but……I wonder if I was doing a bad thing)
In Emily’s perspective, she must be feeling like nice elderly couple giving board and lodging to young people. She felt that acting like she had been doing until now would rea.s.sure the prospective inhabitant instead with this resident’s familial atmosphere.
But, such atmosphere could be produced only by married couple who had reached their advanced years. In other people’s eyes, Kousuke and her simply looked like young couple flirting with each other.
Having to lodge in such house? Everyday they would be forced to see normie doing normie activity? Furthermore the normie was younger? Even though they were struggling for real over here? Screw you! Ain’t no way we’ll take your charity! No matter how hard things get, we’re gonna get happiness by our own handssss-.
That was how it went.
Also, in Kousuke’s opinion, about half of the people coming to check the lodging were aiming for Emily, so he had no regret.
「W-well, right now you know, it’s slightly different than we imagined but this place is still needed.」
「Mu, you aren’t wrong. Yes.」
Emily seemed to accept the words and her displeased expression loosened.
The evening sun was getting dimmer and dimmer little by little. In exchange the street lights were turning on. That acted like a signal and Emily put her hand on the door k.n.o.b once more.
She opened the door and they spoke out 「「We’re homee-」」. A reply immediately echoed back.
The entrance behind the door was wide and there was a corridor leading inside the house. At the left side of the middle of the corridor──where the kitchen was located, a face that belonged to a short red haired woman with slender body peeked out.
「Welcome back, Emily. Kousuke too.」
Lizzie Ashton. Another survivor of the Down Cla.s.sroom and someone who was like a big sister to Emily.
Emily started tying her hair into side tail which was her trademark originally was because she looked up to her, but Lizzie herself had resolutely cut off her hair short after she got discharged from hospital.
Whether she did that simply because she felt like it, or it was one of her ways in order to get back on her feet after many of her friends and important people who were like family to her died, n.o.body knew because the person herself never talked about it.
Sometimes she would spend the night alone quietly looking at photo alb.u.m, so it was clear that her mental wound hadn’t healed completely but……
「I’m home-, Lizzie-nee!!」
「Ah, oi! Don’t jump like that! A university lecturer shouldn’t be acting spoiled like this you know?」
「It’s fine because I’m not a doctor or lecturer right now, just a little sis.」
「Geez, what a hopeless child.」
Emily jumped into her chest. Lizzie scolded her for that, even so looking at how she hugged her back while also looking at Emily with a gaze that was filled with affection, it didn’t look like that she regarded it as that big of a problem.
Also, this cohabitation with Lizzy was a request of Emily. She asked that they should do this at the very least while they were still students.
It was because she was thinking of Lizzie. But more than that, it was also Emily’s simple selfishness of still wanting to be together with her.
There was no doubt that selfishness instead became the factor that pushed Lizzie to agree to live together with Emily despite feeling reservation at the beginning. This big sister was a big sister to the end who was spoiling her little sister rotten.
(Surely, that honest feeling of Emily is also soothing and healing her heart……)
Kousuke thought of such thing while entering the dining room in front of the kitchen and placed his bag on a large long table there while watching over the skinship of the sisters smilingly.
「Lizzie-san, sorry to make you prepare the meal all the time recently.」
「Don’t mind it. Unlike you two I’m just a student. Not only that my future is already secured from the connection.」
In the place of Emily who was very busy, Lizzy was in charge of managing this former Down residence that was now named as “Grant Residence”.
Although she had returned to school as student once more, it wasn’t like she was working as lecturer like Emily. She had also been promised a position in Alpha Drug Manufacturing in the future so she had no worries.
「They’re properly acknowledging Lizzie-nee’s ability as researcher you know?」
Emily lifted up her face from Lizzie’s chest and corrected her with a protest. She said that Lizzie wasn’t accepted simply because she was like big sister to Emily.
「Well, I’m a type of person who accept the offered favor without any reservation, so I won’t be bothered at all even if the offer came completely because of the connection though.」
As expected from a former struggling student that made Professor Down thought that he had to help her. She seemed to be very knowledgeable of the harshness of reality despite her youth. n.o.body will suffer if you can fill your stomach with pride! Her expression seemed to say that.
「Besides, it’ll be all well and good if you simply produce a result that can offset the favor you got.」
「Y-you’re so cool, Lizzie-nee!」
「Fufu, thanks. Although, that demon king-sama, it feels like he’d still do something for me even if he can’t expect any result from me.」
「Err……you mean because he’s generous to his relatives, which include you through your connection with me?」
Kousuke asked while entering the kitchen. He thought that this person was a big deal if she saw through that.
「There’s that but, that person, I’m thinking that perhaps he’s the type of person who focused on simply increasing the number of his p.a.w.ns, regardless of whether they’ll be useful or not. You can say that’s his method.」
Kousuke and Emily thought.
She’s seeing through him even more than expected! Even though she only met him once in pa.s.sing when giving a greeting!
It seemed that she was definitely a good human resource. Just from looking at Emily, it was clear that her respect meter for Lizzie was going up drastically again.
Kousuke washed his hands at the kitchen while glancing at the second floor.
「Only three people? The little kids aren’t here huh?」
Kousuke said that after sensing the human presence. Of course, he wasn’t talking about his children with Rana and others.
To tell the truth, although it was different from their plan at the beginning, they had met the general struggling students and not taking in anymore applications for staying here, but currently this house was certainly still being opened as a lodging.
「I guess they’ll come home soon? They’re just going to play in the neighborhood. Vanny called that she might be home late today. As for Claire──」
「Aa, I know through my clone. She’s really busy with a lot of peculiar saintess works. It looks like she’ll be hone really late today. Rana is from the sanctuary──」
「I’m home now!」
Rana said she was home while showing her face not from the entrance, but by opening the door to the underground room that was located at the opposite side of the kitchen.
She was going home from the sanctuary where the King Tree was located. In other words she used the “gate” from Hauria’s earth stronghold.
There were several “gate holes” in the underground room, so it was also possible to go directly to Vatican or security bureau from there.
Vanessa and Claudia would also go home using “gate” after they finished with their work.
Lizzy said welcome back to Rana with a smile while forcefully tearing off Emily who already had her fill of her big sis’s smell.
「Now, Emily. Help me with the meal preparation?」
「Of course. Wait a bit. I’ll go change now.」
Emily ran to the second floor where each person’s room was located. She was like a dog chasing after a thrown toy. She was unquestionably a siscon.
「Should we also help out with something?」
「Hm~, no, it’s fine. More importantly there’s still time until dinner, fufu, how about you give Kousuke lap pillow? You have work even at night and haven’t slept right?」
「Your kindness is really touching……」
They had only lived together for several months, but Lizzy’s att.i.tude was really relaxed.
At first, she looked a bit awkward, perhaps because she felt like an outsider who had gotten thrown right in the middle of harem, but she immediately gotten used even to that.
A part of it was because Rana and others were friendly but……
Most likely, the biggest cause was this house’s peculiarity.
That was none other than the situation of why this house was “needed in a slightly different way than imagined”, why Lizzy accepted the position of being “manager”, and why there were presences of other inhabitants other than her and related people.
「I’ll take you on your kind offer? Okay, Kou-kun. Come over here?」
「Yes ma’am」
Kousuke and Rana moved to the living room that was at the opposite side of the dining room, at the right side of the entrance.
Rana threw herself on a large sofa that was U-shaped and patted her thigh. She was wearing hot pants so her smooth and elastic skin were exposed.
Kousuke started enjoying a temporary relaxation with floaty feeling like a summer moth that got entranced by fire.
The soft sensation on the back of his head and the sensation of hand caressing his head felt pleasant. The cheerful voices of the sisters that came from the kitchen also served as a nice BGM.
His clone was in the middle of working hard with Claudia, so his mind didn’t drift off completely, even so he could somehow feel fulfillment of his mind and body resting up.
He didn’t know how much time pa.s.sed like that.
Around the time when his consciousness was about to drift off completely,
「「「「「We’re homeeee」」」」」
Really noisy voices reverberated.
Kousuke lifted up his body with effort. Then five children around the age of elementary school student crowded in from the entrance. A man and a woman who looked to be in their seventies also came in with them.
「Welcome back, everyone. Father and sister too.」
「Yes, we’re back, Kousuke-kun.」
「My, did we bother your rest? But, there are children here so keep it in moderation okay?」
The sister’s gaze was turned toward Rana. The sister had a graceful atmosphere, but the proof that she had gone through a lot of experiences was definitely engraved into her eyes so there was a solemnity there. In respond Rana too could only reply 「Ye~s」 obediently.
The children stomped noisily toward the dining room yelling 「We’re hungry~」.
Lizzy’s voice 「Wash you haa~nds!」 could be heard. Perhaps they heard that voice, three boys and girls around the age of middle school student also came down from the second floor.
The three said welcome home to Kousuke and Rana while getting asked by Emily 「Help the kids wash their hands~」 and went into the dining room.
Now then, who were these children?
Why were they living together with Kousuke and others?
The answer to that was,
「Ah, hey! Don’t take your hand out of the water! Wash your hands properly with the tap water! Or rather you’ve been told not to thoughtlessly use your ability──don’t snitch food from the side with telekinetic while I’m saying that!」
It could be guessed from Lizzie’s scolding.
Yes, all of them were “awakened”.
It wasn’t like they met misfortune because of that and couldn’t be with their parents anymore. Just, their parents were confused with their children awakening to special power and went to the church for consultation because they didn’t know what to do. And this was the result.
Presently, Vatican was taking initiative to give this kind of counseling all over the world or perhaps dealing with it. Claudia was super busy and had a hard time going home was partly because of this too.
「Really, what talented children. As a Hauria who can’t use magic, I’m feeling a little bit jealous.」
「Certainly. They’re top talent with high percentages even among the awakened after all.」
Also, there was rank among the “awakened”.
If special cases like onmyouji where techniques were pa.s.sed down among family were excluded……
The majority had their five senses sharpened, became able to use some kind of sixth sense, perhaps they had easier time recovering from wound or fatigue than normal people, and their physical ability improved to some degree.
Those of slightly higher rank would be able to increase their senses, healing power, and physical ability intentionally.
Going slightly higher again, they would be able to cause phenomenon in the category of superpower, but majority had nothing more than insignificant ability even in this.
Even so it was still a dangerous thing for children to handle. There were also those who were getting worried by needless recruitment.
Right now, Vatican was creating places to safeguard those children through the churches in various countries. This “Grant Residence” was also one of those.
After all, in a sense this place was one of the few safe areas on earth. Seeing that no struggling student came to live here, Emily accepted the request from Vatican and took in the children.
Fundamentally the children here came from nearby place where their parents would be able to meet them at weekend or holiday.
「Setting aside the middle and high schooler, at first I was worried that the little kids would get homesick and have a hard time here but……it’s great that they’re having fun.」
「Fufu, they not only have friends here but, as expected learning to use special power must be fun too for them.」
「I get that. I too was excited when we got summoned to Tortus.」
「Thanks to retired exorcists accepting the teaching job, the reputation for this system in society also isn’t bad. As expected a worldwide religion is in different level. The trust level to priest and sister is just different.」
「They were like the symbol of evil at Tortus. Especiall for beastman.」
「Yes, they were like G.o.d of death to us. We’re going to reap their heads if fanatics start appearing again.」
「Which one is the G.o.d of death here……」
Of course, right now there wasn’t even any evil G.o.d and a good-natured funky grandpa was filling the pope position, so Rana had no intention of doing such thing but……
For a moment, the dangerous light of “head reaping bunny” that was dwelling inside Rana’s eyes flashed. It sent a shiver into Kousuke’s back.
「Kousuke! Rana! Help out a little! Looks like the children can’t be patient anymore. It’s a bit early but we’re having dinner!」
Kousuke and Rana looked to each other and chuckled hearing Lizzy’s loud voice. They then headed to the lively dining room.
Like that, when it was finally time to eat.
「Well then everyone, let’s pray.」
Following the father’s words, the children recited the post-meal prayer. But with rapid-talking. It seemed that they really had fun playing today, or perhaps they were really absorbed with practicing their ability. Anyway it seemed that it made them starving.
The father who guessed that smiled wryly while concluding the prayer quickly. Then the children cheered waah and reached out toward the foods as though to say that they had been waiting for this.
The sister admonished them to eat politely, but the starving children was like gangster in a sense. The middle and high schooler group were smiling wryly while looking after each kid.
It was a really lively dining table.
Surely living alone with just Rana and Emily also wouldn’t be bad, but they would be able to do that as much as they wanted after graduation.
Being able to spend time in a lively home like this during his time as student was a happy thing for Kousuke too. His expression naturally relaxed.
He relaxed but……
Setting that aside, there was actually one thing that Kousuke wanted to make a tsukkomi about.
(Nagumo, just because defense is needed I think you’re overdoing it with the demonic remodeling……)
Actually this mansion had been upgraded that it couldn’t be compared anymore with Down Residence.
Not only it had barrier function and various types of weapons for interception, actually the underground had also become something outrageous due to the s.p.a.ce expansion technology.
Not only it could serve as shelter that wouldn’t even shake from nuclear attack, it also could be used as training ground and various types of artifacts were also stored there.
Of course, it was also possible to escape with teleportation and connected to anywhere all over the world from there. Going further, by using a specialized artifact, with the mediation of divine spirit Laila who was posted to be the avatar of King Tree, it was also possible to grasp the location of awakened to some degree even without using the compa.s.s.
(I know that it’ll also serve as our shelter if push comes to shove but……to even prepare new type flying ship there, just what is he thinking?)
If push came to shove, it was also possible to create a shining gate at the sky above the mansion, and the flying ship that was housed underground could fly out from there.
(Something like this, something like this is just……)
By the way it was a digression but, the father was slender and bald. His name was Charles Zavier. When they first me, Kousuke reflexively made tsukkomi 「Close-」.
This father with such name was serving as a teacher in the mansion where children who awakened to their ability were living……
Indeed. Certainly there was no way he would be able to hold back from retorting.
「Really, just which school for gifted youngsters is this?」
「Eh? Kousuke, did you say something?」
「……No, it’s nothing.」
Emily who was happily playing with the youngest girl looked toward him. Kousuke replied with a smile while shaking his head calmly.
Nagumo, you, you absolutely had that in mind! Because, the artifact for communicating with Laila, you intentionally made it look like a huge sphere even though there isn’t any need for it! He shook his head while thinking that.
Like that, I pray so the children here can spend their days peacefully, for that I’ll go Aby no matter how many times……, Kousuke quietly prayed alone toward a G.o.d who he didn’t even believe in.
It was then, Kousuke’s smartphone suddenly rang.
He stopped eating and looked at his smartphone.
「Who’s that? Vanessa? Or is it Claire?」
Rana tilted her head and asked. After all the ringtone showed that the caller was a relative.
「No……it’s from Azis? What’s more it’s a message? That’s unusual.」
Aziz Stein. Claudia’s stepbrother and a fifteen years old young exorcist.
Actually right now he was doing homestay with Endou family because of Claudia’s strong request and also Aziz’s own request but……
It was already late at night in j.a.pan right now. Kousuke wondered why he was contacting him right now in confusion while opening the message.
──he lp……
「Aziz!?」
What was in the message was just a single word. A help request that seemed to be written in a hurry.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Going back slightly in time.
At Endou residence in the dead of night.
Aziz was inside a room in the second floor where he was frozen while holding a thin book in one hand.
Questions were whirling inside his head. His mind had never felt this chaotic before.
Just what was he looking at right now? Why was something like this, inside that person’s room?
His instinct was telling him to run away immediately. He mustn’t stayed here. It was desperately insisting to him that he should pretend to not see anything.
But, before the object that was just too much of an unknown, his thought was running in circles and his body wouldn’t move.
That was why, it came. It came for him.
「──So you saw it?」
「!!?」
He turned around in a flash. Cold sweat gushed out.
There was someone peeking out with just half their face visible from behind the door.
The light from the corridor became backlight that made the person’s expression unclear. It was even more so because the person’s gla.s.ses glinted even though there wasn’t any light source.
But, the person’s mouth……
「W-why, is something like this……」
「…………Why? You don’t understand? It was your fault you know?」
*Nicha-* It twisted……
Aziz became aware. Right now, his dignity and values were in danger.
He thought that facing a named demon would still be far better than this.
A presence that differed from magic or willpower caused an overpowering shivering going through his spine.
If he had to make an example based on a movie that had been showed to him recently, yes, this was none other than──the Fuorce!! (TN: There’s this meme in j.a.pan when Fujoshi got read as Force. If you squint the two words looks similar)
The dark side’s hand was reaching out to him!!
Therefore,
「Oo, G.o.d. Please grant me salvation……」
Aziz was desperately sending request for help with his hand behind his back while his other hand was unconsciously making the cross sign.
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
It’s already December…unbelievable. Without mankind noticing, has the rotation or whatever or this or that made the year became shorter? Shirakome has a strong suspicion of this.
※Material introduction
– Neutral zone hotel, gun sommelier, etc.
From [Jon Wick] movie series. I love the gun sommelier scene the most.
– The immediately destroyed bar Yellow Flag
From [Black Lagoon]. The indomitable bar. I like the bar owner the most for no special reason.
– Isn’t it all thanks to salmon sandwich!
From Tsukushima-san of [Bleach]. Everything is thanks to Tsukushima-san.
– School for gifted youngsters
From [X-Men]. The sphere is Cerebro.
– Help
From Sakamoto Yuji of [Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu].