Chapter 32
The Secret Sharer
As for checking with Tōmi-san, I'll deal with that in due time.
With Ishiyama-san's joining also drawing near, my priority was explaining things to the Master.
It certainly wasn't because I was putting it off because I was afraid to speak to the transfer student in the next class—and a popular girl at that.
It wasn't merely fear. I was terrified, like a certain prince facing Broly. Maybe even more so.
So, I called the café right away. It was already too late to go there in person.
'Thank you for calling Alf Café, where we offer peace and nostalgia.'
"Oh, Riko-senpai. This is Yahiro. Thank you for everything."
'Oh? It's you, Otaku-kun. What's up? Did you start missing my voice?'
"No. Not particularly."
'You really don't hold back with me, do you...'
I can't have a normal conversation with an ordinary girl, but with a weirdo, I figured I didn't need to watch what I said.
'Heh... But that's proof you like me a lot. Let's have some fun teasing each other, Otaku-kun! Ah, but I'm strictly in the friend slot, okay? ☆'
"I'm sorry. If possible, could you put the Master on? Is now a good time?"
'No way! Are you going after Grandma!? Just so you know, she's not a romance option, Otaku-kun! Going after my grandma is seriously out of bounds! I can't tell you how to raise her affinity as a friend character!'
"That's not what I mean. And this world isn't a gal game."
'Wait, if it's not a gal game, does that mean there's no such thing as a non-romanceable character...?'
"No."
'Jeez, Otaku-kun, you really are a perv. Grandmaaa! Otaku-kun wants to chat with you!'
Who are you calling a perv? Well, I wasn't denying being one.
By the standards of society, I think every healthy male high school student has a perverted brain. What else can you expect? That's just the age we're at.
A little while later, the Master came to the phone.
'Hello. I'm on the phone now. Did something happen?'
"Oh, Master. I'm sorry for calling so suddenly. Actually, there's something I'd like to ask you about."
Takanashi-san watched me repeatedly bow my head despite being on the phone, looking puzzled.
Come to think of it, Americans don't really do this sort of thing, do they? Then again, the America she knows and the America I know are very different.
'Oh, no, you don't need to apologize. I'm actually happy you came to me. So, what did you want to ask?'
"Yes. Actually... I'd like you to come over to Takanashi-san's house sometime soon."
'...Why?'
I couldn't see her, of course, but I somehow knew the Master was tilting her head on the other end of the phone.
"There's something related to her ability and 'spirit armament' that I'd like you to look at."
'Um... Is this something other than what you told me when she joined the clan?'
"Probably. It's rather delicate... something we can't really discuss with other people."
At that point, I deliberately lowered my voice.
"...What are your thoughts on the current state of golems, Master?"
'Huh? Um, I hear there's still a lot we don't know... Is that related?'
"Yes. Apparently, Takanashi-san couldn't bring herself to tell anyone when she joined. She came to me for advice, but... I don't quite know how to deal with it. We need an adult's help, so to speak."
I hadn't lied. Kenning used golem technology, and although she had consulted me, it was true that I wanted an adult's help.
I simply hadn't mentioned time travel or humanoid robots.
"I contacted you with Takanashi-san's permission... I'm truly sorry."
'...No, I understand, if that's the situation. And let me say it again: thank you for relying on me. So don't hunch your back like that, Yahiro-kun.'
Even though we were speaking over the phone, she seemed to have seen right through my posture.
"...You can tell?"
'It's just a feeling. I've lived a long time, after all. ...Yahiro-kun, adults are happy when children rely on them. So you don't need to feel so apologetic. Besides, the reason you brought Takanashi-san's problem to me is that you're taking it seriously. So hold your head high.'
"...Thank you."
What should I do? I felt mysteriously guilty.
It wasn't as though I meant to deceive the Master, but at this stage, I couldn't reveal the whole truth.
With cold sweat running down my cheeks, I somehow straightened my back.
'I can't come today, obviously, but I'll be there tomorrow or the day after. What time would be good?'
"Um... would around five in the afternoon be all right?"
'Got it. I'll call before I head over.'
"Yes. Thank you so much."
'You're welcome. Though I don't know whether this is something I can solve.'
"Oh, and if possible, please keep this matter as confidential as you can..."
'Of course. Don't worry. I may not look it, but I'm pretty tight-lipped.'
I could picture the Master puffing out her chest with a little 'hmph' on the other end of the phone.
I chuckled and exchanged goodbyes before ending the call.
"Phew... That was nerve-racking..."
The Master wasn't a weirdo, and perhaps the age gap made her somehow easy to talk to.
Actually, lately I felt as though I was worse at talking to people my own age.
"Good work. But was it all right not to tell her about the future over the phone?"
I gave the puzzled Takanashi-san a small shake of my head.
"No... If I told her, 'Actually, Takanashi-san is a person from the future, and I need your help repairing a humanoid robot,' without even showing her proof, she'd question my sanity before she ever wondered whether to believe me."
"...True."
Apparently satisfied, she nodded.
...Come to think of it, I had been able to carry on a fairly normal conversation with Takanashi-san, too.
Maybe this was what trust felt like.
"Is something wrong?"
Takanashi-san tilted her head curiously and leaned in to peer at me.
As she did, her enormous breasts gave a soft jiggle. Leaning forward slightly had made those huge, long mounds shift subtly under gravity.
"N-no, it's nothing..."
"Why have you suddenly gone back to speaking so politely...?"
But I was still nervous.
An unguarded, busty beauty had come close enough to touch me. Anyone whose heart wouldn't be shaken by that, please throw the first stone. I'd send it right back at you with all my strength...!
＊ ＊ ＊
The next day.
"So this is Miyu-chi's house!!"
Beside the apologetic-looking Master, Riko-senpai stood with her hands on her hips.
Well, I'd heard the circumstances from her over the phone about thirty minutes earlier.
"Yo, Otaku-kun! Miyu-chi! Your dependable gyaru senpai has arrived!"
"Sorry, you two. I think I ended up eavesdropping from behind you back then..."
"If I sent Grandma off alone, Otaku-kun might go wild! For the sake of my family's peace, I absolutely refuse to let you and Grandma be alone together!"
So that was the situation, apparently.
"But we're not alone. Takanashi-san is here too...?"
"Miyu-chi is... a little too defenseless."
"That... is true."
"Huh? I pride myself on having a strong sense of caution..."
No, that's not what she meant.
Takanashi-san looked displeased, but I could only agree. In that particular area, this woman was utterly untrustworthy. The circumstances she'd grown up in were far too unusual.
Still, we'd already been thinking that Riko-senpai might be all right to tell.
To be perfectly honest, I didn't think the Master was loose-lipped, but I also didn't think we could keep it secret from Riko-senpai. She would probably let it slip to her family by accident. We'd only known her a short time, but it was obvious she was bad at lying.
Like the Master, Riko-senpai was deeply compassionate. She would keep something truly confidential.
More importantly, if she went around telling people, 'I met someone from the future! I even saw a humanoid robot!' everyone would just brush her off with, 'Sure, sure. You watched an anime like that, didn't you?'
"Hey, Otaku-kun. I know I'm looking totally hip and super cute in my street clothes, but quit staring. You're making me blush!"
"Oh. Okay."
"At least don't give up on the retorts, Otaku-kun! The back-and-forth is important, baby!"
"I think what you do is more like dodgeball."
Well, it was true that the outfit suited her.
With her healthy shoulders exposed by a light-blue sweater and her black miniskirt, Riko-senpai packed quite a punch. Her long, shapely legs were covered in black tights.
Beautiful women with good figures can make anything look good.
Personally, I also thought sweaters and big breasts were an unbeatable combination.
"I'm sorry, you two. I can still send Riko home..."
"No. It's fine if Riko-senpai sees it too. Just please don't tell anyone."
"...Are you really sure?"
"Yes."
At Takanashi-san's answer, Riko-senpai puffed out her chest.
Damn, her big breasts jiggled beneath the sweater!
"So, Otaku-kun? This is what you call trust in me."
"You're so annoying..."
"Don't insult me in that quiet, completely serious tone! My glass heart just went crack and shatter!"
"Oh, sorry. That slipped out."
"That was a genuine apology."
"Because it genuinely slipped out."
"Waaah! Grandma, Otaku-kun's bullying meee!"
"Um, shall we get to the main point, then?"
"Yes."
"A total ignore!? Am I being declared out of place!?"
That was exactly what was happening.
Leaving Riko-senpai to carry on fooling around, we headed for the garage. On the way, the self-proclaimed gyaru spoke to me in a low voice.
"Hey, Otaku-kun. Are you really sure it's okay for me to be here too?"
"Huh? You're only asking that now...?"
"Well, I came hoping I could help, but it's not like I want to pry into someone's problems."
Her eyes were serious as she said it.
"...I think it'll be fine with you here, Riko-senpai."
"Really? Then okay."
For all her antics, she did seem to have a serious side. She was probably kind at heart.
She was just a weirdo.
Standing in front of the garage, Takanashi-san turned her gaze to the two of them.
"I had Yahiro-san tell the Master that this concerned 'golems,' but the truth is slightly different."
"What do you mean...?"
"It's a consultation about a special object that also makes use of golem technology."
"Um...?"
"It will be quicker if I show you."
Takanashi-san told the bewildered Master that, then opened the garage door.
The lights came on automatically, illuminating Kenning, who had lost one arm and one leg. Much of its armor had been removed so its damaged sections could be checked, exposing the inner frame and wiring. Though it was an inanimate object, the sight briefly brought the word 'corpse' to mind.
"Wh...what?"
"I'm sorry for misleading you, Master. Even if I told you everything honestly, I didn't think you'd believe me without seeing the real thing."
Takanashi-san bowed deeply to the stunned Master.
"Master. Riko-senpai. I am not from this era."
Takanashi-san stood up straight before Kenning.
"I am from the future, one hundred years from now... or rather, from a parallel world very close to it."
"The future...!?"
Beside the Master, who stared at Takanashi-san with wide eyes, Riko-senpai staggered forward.
And then.
"It's a roooobot!?"
She shouted in a shrill, bewildered voice while staring at Kenning.
...Yeah, that's what I figured would happen!