Chapter 20
A Date? A Promise
It had been several days since the day we nearly encountered the boss monster.
After school, I was at Takanashi-san's house again today.
I was nervous about being in the home of someone of the opposite sex, but I felt I was gradually getting used to it. Perhaps that was because our conversations were always so serious.
As soon as I arrived, she led me to the garage, where Kenning sat enthroned.
However, its condition was clearly different from the last time I'd seen it.
"Oh... Its right arm..."
That's right. The gray giant's right arm was attached.
...Though it wasn't the same kind as its left arm.
To put it extremely bluntly, it was an arm made by simply adding joints to a log. Its shoulder and elbow seemed to move, but I had no idea how much range of motion they had. There was no hand beyond the wrist; the forearm ended in a huge, sharply pointed "stake."
"A proper repair still seemed impossible, so I gave it just enough functionality to fight for now."
Beside me, Takanashi-san looked up at Kenning and continued matter-of-factly.
"I have adjusted the joints and made emergency repairs to the frame. The machine should have a reasonably stable balance now. Since acquiring weapons was difficult, I decided to make the right arm itself into a weapon."
"Well, sure... But can it fight like this?"
"Yes. It can only charge and swing its right arm, but it should at least be stronger than I would be fighting with my bare hands."
At those words, I found myself turning my gaze toward her.
Takanashi-san was no longer looking at Kenning; at some point, she had lowered her eyes to her own right arm.
"...I believe my Spirit Rank's low growth rate is probably due to the difference in our talent as Gifted people."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. It is only a rumor I heard on the battlefield, so its reliability is low, but apparently Gifted people with Japanese or British blood are particularly powerful. Their basic output differs from that of Gifted people from other countries."
"Why...?"
"I have no idea. I heard it is related to the 'exits' of the ley lines, but I do not know the details either."
The exits of the ley lines, huh.
Without thinking, I looked down at the ground beneath my feet. All I could see were my feet and the concrete.
And yet I could sense the immense amount of magic flowing far below.
The veins of the planet. A great river of magic. A place where monsters had once dissolved into it and been etched into its records.
And the source of dungeons.
The magic overflowing from that still-mysterious source onto the surface affected living things to a greater or lesser extent.
The knowledge in my head included the theories that 'places where large amounts of magic gush forth are called spirit lands' and 'the stronger the spirit land, the more likely it is to produce powerful Gifted people.'
It was only one theory among many. But perhaps Japan and Britain themselves were 'spirit lands.'
If so, the rumor Takanashi-san had heard might not be entirely false.
Well, it was still just a combination of a rumor and a baseless hypothesis.
"In the world I came from, Gifted people from Britain were all extremely powerful warriors. Even in the United States, Gifted people who emerged from the Japanese survivors were strong. They say talent as a Gifted person is hereditary."
"I see..."
"You should also have children with a powerful Gifted person, Yahiro-san. The children of two strong people have promising futures."
"Huh? No, even if you say that..."
Faced with that sudden killer pass, I had no idea how to respond.
I didn't even have a girlfriend, to begin with. Besides, having children with the expectation that they would become useful combatants was a little...
While I shifted my eyes uncertainly, Takanashi-san continued speaking.
"Let's get back to the subject. Kenning is now at least capable of fighting. I believe it is time to put our plan into action."
"...You mean the person we talked about?"
"Yes."
Takanashi-san nodded deeply at my question.
This was one of the few stories she remembered that connected the future and the present: an event a few years from now in this era—or, more precisely, in a world very similar to this one.
One of those stories involved contacting a person whose name and general whereabouts were known.
If the person had left behind a noble reputation, we'd find out whether they could become an ally. And if they'd left behind an infamous one...
There was no answer except that it depended on the case. First, we had to know what sort of person they were, and even if they were evil, I couldn't—and didn't want to—remove them by force.
At least, that was how I felt. If Takanashi-san tried to take drastic measures, I'd have to stop her with everything I had.
With thoughts that could not even be called resolve in my heart, I listened to her.
"First, we will make contact with the famous monster and assess her."
Takanashi-san's slender eyebrows rose, and a dangerous light appeared in her eyes.
Her cherry-pink lips uttered the name of a being whose infamy would still resound a hundred years later, a trace of cold-blooded killing intent in her voice.
"Code 'Rosso Vendetta'───real name, Ishiyama Iwako...!"
"Mmm..."
Somehow, it was an extremely over-the-top name.
I'm sorry. What kind of expression am I supposed to make at times like this?
"Um... Rosso-san? She attacked an American fleet, right?"
When I'd heard about the future before, she'd told me about people who had made their mark in this era, for better or worse.
The information came from my social-game knowledge base, so its reliability was frankly low. But it had included the misdeeds of Rosso-san—Ishiyama-san.
"Yes. 'Rosso Vendetta' is said to have turned several hundred people into zombies and used them as minions. She destroyed numerous cities and evacuation shelters."
Unlike me, who couldn't take things entirely seriously because of her name, Takanashi-san wore an intensely serious expression.
Was this also a generation gap...? We were the same age, but a century apart. Or was it a culture gap?
"And when Japan collapsed, she attacked the Seventh Fleet, which was conducting rescue operations. She destroyed roughly half its vessels, more than one hundred carrier-based aircraft, and took several thousand lives."
"I... I can't even comprehend the scale of that. Can Gifted people really do things like that...?"
"If a talented Gifted person continues training, it is said that they can physically annihilate a fleet, depending on how they fight. And, to begin with, 'Rosso Vendetta' is not a Gifted person."
"What?"
Unable to understand what she meant, I tilted my head.
"If she isn't a Gifted person, then did she do all that without a Gift? But you said she made zombies..."
"The term 'Gifted person' refers to 'a human who possesses a Gift.' However, she is not human."
"...? Ishiyama Iwako is her name, so isn't she human? It is her real name, right?"
"Yes. She was born human and raised human."
I understood even less and furrowed my brow.
Takanashi-san turned to face me, perfectly composed, as though she were explaining an obvious fact.
"Dhampirs. Those with vampire blood mixed into them are not human. They are traitors to humanity who have awakened from human beings into monsters."
"...Excuse me?"
'Dhampir'
They were one of the kinds of demihumans, like half-onis and elves.
Their numbers were small, but their existence had been confirmed around the world. I had heard that they possessed vampire-like traits, such as having greater magical output and physical ability at night than during the day.
Naturally, they were Gifted people, and they were human.
Why, then, were they being called monsters?
...Could it be because of Rosso-whatever?
"Beginning with the atrocities of 'Rosso Vendetta,' attacks on humanity by dhampirs began in various places. They had been lying low and building up their strength until then."
"Um... Wasn't it because Rosso-san caused all that trouble that dhampirs were persecuted in various places...? And didn't that persecution force the other dhampirs in that direction?"
"No. They are monsters by nature. It is said that the monster factor remaining in their blood makes their thought processes different from those of humans. They are exceptionally cruel and cunning, which apparently makes their disguises as humans remarkably convincing... I have also heard that a renowned physician scientifically proved it."
"...If having even half monster blood makes someone a monster, what about half-onis—or me, for that matter, since I'm a quarter-oni?"
"No. Half-onis are unequivocally a branch of humanity. Discriminating against them for such a reason would be wrong."
"Huh...?"
What should I do? Even though I was hearing about the future a hundred years from now, I was starting to feel as if I were hearing about the past a hundred years ago.
Takanashi-san's eyes were serious and unwavering. She genuinely held beliefs like that.
...The future really is pretty messed up.
"'Rosso Vendetta' remained infamous even in the era I came from. A movie portraying her as a villain was made, but apparently it was taken off the air immediately because she was simply too unforgivable a person to depict."
Ishiyama-san, aka Rosso-whatever, was hated that much?
If one person's evil had caused an entire species to be discriminated against, the other dhampirs must have had it awful.
"And my grandmother told me that your name also became widely known because you defeated 'Rosso Vendetta,' Yahiro-san."
"...Huh?"
"'Rosso Vendetta' attacked the Seventh Fleet. Despite their counterattack, the soldiers were massacred. She had the living dead pilot the ships, and the terrible vampire was about to head for the American mainland."
"No, wait—"
"That was when you descended from the sky, several years from now."
"Er..."
There was a hint of growing fervor in Takanashi-san's eyes and voice.
"From there, it was a battle worthy of myth. While fighting with your body shielding the soldiers, you were attacked mercilessly by the vampire. Her vile claws inflicted numerous wounds on you, and she rolled your dripping blood around in her mouth as though savoring the finest wine..."
That Yahiro-san must have been incredible. He fought while risking his life to protect soldiers he didn't even know. He didn't spare a thought for his own safety. I could never do something like that.
No, seriously, who was that person? Was he really that noble?
"But hubris is the most potent poison. A single bullet fired by a soldier who had let his guard down, thinking she posed no threat, drew 'Rosso Vendetta's' attention for only an instant!"
"Huh."
"In that fraction of a second, your blade found the vampire's heart. Struck by a blade that kills the undying, the monster turned to ash with a death cry, and that ash vanished as black mist..."
"Wow."
"You desperately rescued the surviving soldiers and got them safely to land. I hear the Seventh Fleet repaid that debt by protecting the evacuation ships you sent out..."
"Oh."
...Could it be?
Could the reason half-onis, unlike dhampirs, were properly treated as human be that the version of me from a parallel world worked so hard to save people's lives...?
Somehow, I felt I was beginning to see a painfully real reason.
"For all these reasons, 'Rosso Vendetta,' whose real name is Ishiyama Iwako, appears to be extremely dangerous. I judged that we should avoid an encounter until Kenning was in fighting condition."
"I see."
"Yes. We should eliminate her while her Spirit Rank is still relatively low."
Takanashi-san gave a determined little snort. Hmm, this was...
Well, Rosso-san might indeed be dangerous, so we ought to be cautious.
However, this was only a story from a parallel world. I must not become too trapped by preconceptions.
...No. If that's the case, the same should apply to my perception of dhampirs.
I'd dismissed it as mere prejudice, but I also had to consider the possibility that they really were a dangerous species. After all, there were far too many mysteries surrounding Gifts.
That didn't mean I should eliminate the possibility that 'dhampirs are ordinary people.' I needed to maintain as neutral a perspective as possible.
...Easier said than done.
If it were easy to maintain that kind of perspective, ninety percent of all wars would probably have disappeared by now.
"Um, Takanashi-san..."
"Yes? What is it? By the way, a dhampir's weak point is the heart. Crosses, silver weapons, stakes of white wood, and sunlight are ineffective unless they contain an exceptional amount of magic."
"No, that's not what I mean... Just don't approach her with the belief that she's evil because she's a dhampir, okay?"
"...Why?"
"...Because preconceptions narrow your field of vision?"
Unsure how to explain it, I said only something safe and uncontroversial.
Our common sense was different. That was only natural, since we had been born in different eras and lived in different environments.
That was precisely why I hesitated to reject her way of thinking out of hand.
Takanashi-san considered my words for a moment, then said:
"I understand. We should avoid battles that can be avoided."
"Yeah, yeah."
"I will confirm that she is a dhampir, then wait for an opportunity to finish her by surprise."
"Hmm."
What should I do? She hadn't understood me at all.
But if I had the communication skills to convey these feelings effectively, I wouldn't have become a loner in the first place.
...All right. Perhaps I should take the opposite position and restore the balance.
If maintaining a neutral position was too difficult, I had no choice but to force the balance. I would act on the belief that dhampirs were also human, and that one's species did not determine one's personality.
The Tosa-born manslayer's way. I needed to embrace the spirit of 'You're human too!'
"First, I think we should also consider the possibility that dhampirs in this world are ordinary people."
"That may be true, but if we let our guard down, we will die. We should remain as vigilant as possible."
"Then, at the very least, please don't attack her first... until I can bring myself to see her as an enemy, I guess."
"...Understood. If that is what you wish, Yahiro-san."
I felt my cheek twitch at Takanashi-san's reluctant nod.
What should I do? I could feel nothing but anxiety. It was a little late, but I could only hope that the Kamen ● Rider Riko-senpai had been preaching to her about was helping educate her morally.
...Maybe I should show her D●raemon and An●panman next time.
Judging from how the welcome party had gone, they ought to be reasonably effective.
I had to trust in the power of the tanuki-shaped babysitter robot and the original hero...!
"So, I am planning to look for 'Rosso Vendetta's' house at the end of this week. At present, we only know its general location."
"What?"
"I'm afraid... I mean, if you do not mind, I would like you to accompany me as well, Yahiro-san. I lack sufficient combat power on my own. Also, you need to learn her true nature."
"Um..."
"Let's go to the city where 'Rosso Vendetta' is located on Saturday or Sunday."
Takanashi-san said this with a sharply resolute expression.
My brain couldn't keep up, and I asked in what sounded foolish even to me:
"This weekend?"
"Yes."
"The two of us?"
"Yes."
"To the city?"
"Let's go."
"...I see."
───Doesn't that basically make it a date????
My hopelessly rusty brain had come up with what was, even to me, an idiotic answer.
But there is still a nonzero chance!!!!