3Lunch break.
We ate lunch together just like usual.
Just that today Sharo senpai is a tad late.
Everyone has started eating, and I take a look at my reading material while waiting for senpai.
"Raika~, what are you reading?"
"It"s no big deal."
I swiftly hid the content from Kunisaki and change the context.
"Then there is no problem showing that to me."
"I"m surprised to see you eat an udon with curry though."
"It"s fine. I like to eat curry udon."
"Let me eat it too"
I smiled bitterly when Kunisaki retracts his hand right when I approached his udon.
Afterwards I place my focus on the doc.u.ment again.
The doc.u.ment contains a list of missing people which I got by using my Evil Eye.
On the A4 paper is the name of students who have disappeared.
The missing persons has already exceeded ten people.
Nationality. Gender. Grade level. The dormitory. There is no common point that related them.
However, for it to be ten people already……that"s a lot.
『——is that so? I don"t think that number means anything much. 』
It"s quite a significant number. Under normal circ.u.mstance it should have been a fuss now.
Yet it didn"t happen, is it because the nature of this school?
A boarding school located on an isolated island at the distant seas.
First, the parent should be the first party who noticed the disappearance of the students.
Next, the school board who is directly managing the students should be notified.
The Sacrament Management Organization……they deliberately delayed this information.
The reason can be guessed to some extent.
What comes into mind is, the third Myth Representative War that is ongoing on this island.
The Sacrament Management Organization is fully aware of disaster that is ongoing on night time at this island.
It must be within their expectation that few persons are going to disappears.
That"s why they didn"t make any follow up.
So, what about the students?
If the number is less than 10 students at one time, then it will usually be regarded as a rumour.
But that is where it"s stopped.
The cause is the linguist barrier.
It is a school where groups are divided according to language differences within one cla.s.s.
The walls between the groups have prevented the spread of rumours so far.
The friend of the missing student will make a report at respective teacher, but that is the most a student can do.
Afterwards, with some information manipulation, it"s easy to turn it to a rumour surrounding the school.
However, the number of missing persons must have exceeded the school expectation.
As the situation has grown bigger, the rumour gradually began to spread past the language barrier.
Because of that, the situation has turned different.
If the school side doesn"t take any action, then they will lose all the trust from the students.
That"s the reason why our homeroom was like that this morning, I guess.
But.
The warning is probably just their response to keep their public face. It"s almost impossible to search for the student who actually went missing.
『——yeah, you"re mostly right. Considering the G.o.d is the culprit, any investigation will hinder the Representative War. If the culprit is the Sacrament Management Organization then they will already take off their mask. 』
You"re right.
I focus return back to the doc.u.ment.
Even after skimming through it back, there is simply no dots that are connecting everything together.
The hobby described in their profile also doesn"t match together.
If the criminal is targeting the student indiscriminately, then there is no similarity from the beginning.
Then I need to increase the range of my investigation.
However, if the criminal is a divine apotheosis, then there is a risk that I delve too deep inside considering I"m one of them.
Naturally, I want to avoid that.
I"ll try not crossing any boundaries while investigating.
I thought for a while.
"Raika kun."
Suddenly I heard someone calling. I raised my face.
And there I found Sharo senpai.
"Sorry that I"m late."
"No."
I a.s.sured senpai that it"s fine and there is no need to apologize.
Behind her, I can see a girl hiding at her silhouette.
Based on her facial feature and hair, she must be j.a.panese.
From her badge, I a.s.sumed that she is in a same year like Sharo senpai.
"What? Is that Sharo senpai friend?"
While drinking down the milk, Tenka asked.
"Um. This girl is my cla.s.smate."
"Nice to meet you. My name is Kushinada Nadeko."
After being ushered by Sharo senpai, the girl——Kushinada lowered her head towards us.
『——oh? A Yamato Nadeshiko type huh. Despite modest, she is emanating enough s.e.x appeal. 』
This stupid ero-majin become active suddenly when there is a girl.
Anyway.
……. Kushinada?
『——Oh. It"s rare to see Raika get interested with a woman. 』
You"re wrong. That is not the case.
If I"m not mistaken, this Kushinada is……
"Nice to meet you. I"m Tenka. By the way, what is Kushinada senpai doing at the first-year cla.s.sroom?"
"Actually……There is something I would like to ask everyone."
Kushinada senpai answered Tenka question.
"Something you would like to ask?"
"Yes."
With a sunken expression, Kushinada senpai asked.
Among your group, my little sister——did anyone know where Kushinada Himeko has disappeared?"
After listening to her plea, I"m finally convinced.
She is the relative for one of the missing student case, [Kushinada Himeko] big sister.
"Himeko chan was in the same cla.s.s together with Raika kun and the other. That"s why, Nadeshiko san wants to ask if any of you knows anything."
"I see."
Sharo senpai continues her explanation.
Perhaps, Kushinada senpai heard how Sharo senpai has close relationship with us, and ask her to become intermediaries for her inquiry.
"Please. Anything that comes into your minds matters……"
Kushinada senpai voice came out as a whimper.
The voice indicates how exhausted is her mind and body.
I want to hear more from hear for the clue, but I can"t bear to see her conditions.
"I understand your situation. Please have a sit first."
We pulled another vacant chair and let her seat.
"Suddenly, three days ago, she disappeared."
Kushinada senpai began to speak in quiet voice.
"My sister Himeko and I are one-year difference. She lives with my father till last year. Since our mother"s death ten years ago, me and my sister has taken care of ourselves together."
"Sound like you are close sisters alright."
Maria compliments their relationship.
"Yes. So, when I decided to enrol in this school last year, my sister was anguished. We"ve been exchanging letters every day since then, and it seems that she never left house that time either."
Based on her story, it seems that her sister depends on her too much.
But, it can"t be helped.
The Myth War that happened ten years ago has scarred lots of people.
They also lost their mother……. even if the little sister has strong dependence on her bigger sister who is replacing their mother, it"s not unreasonable at all.
Kushinada senpai continues her story.
"That is why, after ongoing the examination, when she found that she is going to the same school I"m, she is really pleased."
"Usually it"s the other way around, right."
I lightly joked.
This school is not accepted on public in general.
Though, she must be pleased to be reunited with her older sister, and decided to enrol.
"In fact, she"s been visiting my cla.s.sroom and comes over during holiday ever since. But……"
"……she suddenly disappeared three days ago?"
"That"s right."
Kushinada senpai said regrettably.
"I"ve coincided with the teacher in charge of the dormitory, but it seems that she never returns."
"Does Kushinada senpai from different dormitories than your sister?"
"Yes. I"m staying at the North Dormitory. She is staying at the West Dormitory."
"Eh~, they are sister, the management should put them in the same dormitory."
"That"s what the school higher ups decided for her placement."
Kunisaki and Tenka who"s been hearing our talk since just now gave their opinions.
It"s not limited to these sisters alone. The school never consider anything when placing the dormitory.
At first, I find it suspicious, now that I know a Myth Representative War is taking place, I can guess why……
"Do you have the picture of your sister."
"Yes. Here."
Senpai take out a picture from her uniform pocket.
"She looks exactly like Kushinada senpai."
Maria give her impressions after taking a look at the picture.
Indeed, both of the sisters have the same long black hair and their facial features are alike.
Based on Sharo senpai explanation, it seems that Kushinada Himeko is our cla.s.smate.
To be honest, my memories are vague.
I don"t think I"ve seen someone like her in this cla.s.sroom.
At the very least, I"ve never greet her.
Based on what her sister said, she visited her sister every holiday. Perhaps her relationship with the other cla.s.smate is not tight.
The impression that I got from the photograph is fickle.
She doesn"t seem to be someone who will turn into a delinquent.
She won"t suddenly disappear, not without telling her older sister.
Then as expected, it is caused by external factor.
I take a look at Ruirui.
"Ruirui."
"What?"
"If I"m not mistaken, you"re from the west dormitory too. Have you meet Kushinada Himeko before she disappeared?"
"Your question is too abrupt. Let"s see, Kushinada Himeko san doesn"t come back to the dormitory since three days ago right?"
"Based on what the teacher says it"s nearly four days now."
"Four days ago, huh. I don"t remember anything. That day I was busy with something……right?"
Ruirui give a sidelong glance at me and winked.
Speaking of it, four days ago were the days before the decisive battle with Ruirui.
She should be preparing for our battle that night.
It"s reasonable if she can"t remember anything.
"Is that so……"
Senpai who doesn"t know of our circ.u.mstances wear a bitter face.
Her voice becomes gloomier.
She is honestly worried about her little sister, that she can"t take it.
"Something, are there anything in your mind, Kushinada Senpai?"
"Something that I would know……you mean?"
"I don"t care if it"s a trivial thing, just anything that might be a clue to Himeko san disappearance.
"Place that she might have gone……"
Kushinada senpai slowly thinks.
However, nothing seems to be in her mind.
"It doesn"t need to be something implicit. Let say……did she said anything about going out at night without permission?"
"Himeko during night time?"
"For example, she sneaks outside at night without the teacher and the guards noticing, and somehow runs into a trouble."
A magic barrier was set to prevent students from the dormitory from going out.
But if the students didn"t get back to the dormitory in the beginning, then it"s possible for a student to wander around the islands without the guards noticing.
"But, for Himeko to breaks the rule of dormitory……"
"That is still one of the possibility."
Yes. A possibility.
It"s not confirmed yet whether Kushinada Himeko is wrapped up with the Representative War or not.
Just because that is the most likely possibility, it"s natural that I need to perform further investigations first.
"Ah!"
"Did you remember anything?"
"Now that I remember about it, Himeko talked about something weird before she gone missing."
"Weird story?"
"Correct. In short, it"s just a rumour or something like an ordinary urban legend."
“Do you remember what it was like?"
"Uhm……"
Listening to the details, it certainly sounds like an urban legend or some sort of rumour.
To summarize, on this island, there was a dubious experiment or ritual using super powers at night.
"When I first heard about the story, I simply laughed it off. However, my little sisters insist and said, “I will show the evidence to big sister this time” ……"
"As for Himeko san, did she completely believe that story?"
"Since it came out, she is stuck in her room searching for it on the internet. I don"t know if she truly believes the story or not."
"I see."
If she goes to that extent, could she consider that to be her hobby only?
Or, did she just want to have a topic to talk with her older sister?
No, that doesn"t matter now.
The problem is.
"Then, in order to confirm the rumour, there is a possibility that Himeko went out at night, right?"
"……might be."
Kushinada senpai answered weakly.
Certainly, our a.s.sumption is baseless.
Anyhow, regardless of what she has to say, I"ve decided what to do from the beginning.
"I understand your situation. Sadly, we can"t tell you where is Himeko san currently is present."
"Yes. Sorry for bothering you……"
With her fleeting eyes, Kushinada senpai lowered her face, and bows to us.
"Nonetheless."
I gestured with my hand.
"Just leaving it like this will leave a bad aftertaste. If you don"t mind, I will help you find Himeko san."
"Eh?"
Hearing my words, Kushinada senpai eyes widen from surprise.
It appears to be an unexpected offer for her.
"Raika is a nice person~"
"Shut up, Ruirui."
I brush away Ruirui tease with my hand.
"That……is that okay?"
Kushinada senpai inquires.
I let out a chuckle,
"I don"t mind one bit."
So, I answered.
『——what are you thinking, Raika. 』
I can"t see what"s exactly happening yet. The source of information is necessary.
That is 80% of the reason.
Another 20% came from sympathy.
To lost sight of own sister is, painful.
I understood that, and share the same feeling.
If possible, I want to help find her sister safely.
It may be a petty thing to do on my side, despite that……
"Um, thank you very much!"
Kushinada senpai takes my hand in hers, and bows.
"No, it"s nothing much."
I do have another motive after all.
It"s awkward to receive the grat.i.tude.
"That"s to say, i think everyone else has something to do after school period."
When I guessed what everyone has in minds, Kunisaki laughed.
"What are you talking about. Of course, we"re helping, okay?"
Saying that, I looked at Maria.
"Yes. Of course."
"Yes, yes. Koujirou kun said a nice thing."
"Well, I"m willing to spend time with you guys."
Maria and everyone voiced their agreement one after the other.
"Everyone……thank you very much!"
"Aren"t you glad, Nadeshiko san."
"Yes. Thank you very much too, Charlotte san."
Kushinada senpai keep thanking us for a while.
And after the end of lunch break, I return back to the cla.s.sroom together with Sharo senpai.
"……my bad, I shouldn"t bring along everyone together."
After both senpai are gone, I tell that to everyone.
Again, Kunisaki is the one who laughed first at my apology.
"I don"t mind. It"s not a big deal."
"Kunisaki."
"Besides, Nadeshiko san is beautiful, aren"t her! I won"t forgive it if only Raika is involved! You already have Charlotte senpai, it"s natural to hand over this one to me!"
"You……"
『——uhihihi, as expected of Koujirou! He and myself will get along well! 』
Balor burst into a laughing streak inside of me.
On the other hand, the girls have a cold reaction.
"Kunisaki san……"
"Koujirou kun is unexpectedly Koujirou kun, huh!"
"Well, this is Kunisaki we"re talking about."
"Why everyone is so mean!?"
Kunisaki raises a sorrowful cry, though, I don"t have anything to say with that.