Chapter 95
Epilogue (1)
A few days after the spiritual disaster at Tatsumin-san's family home.
Around mid-June, we gathered at the café 'Alf' after school.
"Man, that was a real ordeal, gao."
In her usual mascot costume, Tatsumin-san made a gesture as though scratching her head.
"The questioning was incredibly difficult, gao. At one point, they even told me, 'Please take off the mascot head at least,' and I didn't know what to do, gao."
"I think the police had the harder time."
There was nothing to say except that, of course.
At a table in the corner of the shop, Riko-senpai laughed heartily.
"Verifying your identity must have been a real ordeal. So? Did they ever figure out what caused that spiritual disaster?"
"Apparently, the village chief heard from the Self-Defense Force that the Lesser Demons may have been multiplying faster than the normal culling rate could keep up with, gao."
"Oh, my..."
"Hmm? But wouldn't the people doing the culling notice? Like, 'There sure are a lot of them this time.'"
"Apparently their dungeon is quite labyrinthine, gao. On top of that, Furcas—the boss monster—is intelligent, so it seems possible they hid until their numbers were sufficient, gao."
"Yikes..."
Without thinking, my mouth twisted into an 'へ' shape.
It did seem like that monster was capable of something like that. Despite the name 'The Piercer,' legend said that the demon god who held the Title of Knight specialized in divination.
Remembering those unmistakably intelligent movements sent a chill down my spine.
Miyu-san, sitting beside me, furrowed her brow.
"Could the same thing be happening in other dungeons as well...?"
"Gao gao. Apparently the police and Self-Defense Force reached the same conclusion as you, Miyu-chan, gao."
Tatsumin-san nodded with her whole body.
Intelligent monsters were rare overall. But they did exist. And most of them were powerful monsters.
If the culling rate was being falsified in other dungeons as well, there was no telling when or where another spiritual disaster might occur.
By now, the police and Self-Defense Force were probably urgently investigating dungeons all over the country.
I thought it was necessary, and I wanted them to do it, but it must have been an incredibly difficult task.
I felt grateful, but at the same time, I swore that I would never take that path.
"Apparently some people died, so I can't exactly celebrate loudly. But I'm glad Riko and the others are safe."
"Master."
Master approached us with an ambiguous smile.
The news had reported that people at the 'containment zone' where the Lesser Demons appeared had died.
Thinking of their deaths, this wasn't something we could make a fuss about.
Even so, relief and joy outweighed everything else in my heart. It might have been thoughtless of me, but I couldn't keep mourning people whose faces I had never even seen.
So, just for now, I offered a silent prayer. Only for a few seconds. Briefly, but from the heart, I prayed for their souls.
With a soft clink, a blue cloth coaster and a glass were placed in front of me.
"Here you go. Iced café au lait for Yahiro-kun and Takanashi-chan, and iced coffee for Riko and Rosso-chan."
"Thank you."
"Thank you, Master. I'll have some."
"Thanks."
"Much obliged."
"And for Tatsumin-chan, this."
A pocket-sized album was gently placed in front of Tatsumin-san.
"What's this?"
"Do you remember when Mei-chan went to help Tatsumin-chan before, and Kinue-chan asked for some photos 'to use as reference'?"
"Gao... No way."
"I got copies of those photos."
Tatsumin-san slowly opened the album.
Inside were scenes of Tatsumin Land just like the ones we had seen.
The motionless merry-go-round. The rusted Ferris wheel. The crumbling haunted house. The roller-coaster rails, their colors faded.
All of it had been preserved in photographs.
"I thought they might be useful as reference if you ever rebuild that amusement park. I asked for them, though it might have been none of my business."
"...No. Thank you, gao, Master."
Tatsumin-san answered without looking away from the album.
Pointing out that her voice was trembling slightly would have been terribly tactless.
"And... um. There's iced coffee for you too, Tatsumin-chan. Will you have it?"
Master asked with a slightly troubled expression.
Since he had moved a little behind Tatsumin-san, perhaps he was wondering whether he should put the coffee inside through the zipper in her back.
In response, Tatsumin-san shook her head with her whole body.
"I'm sorry, gao. Not right now..."
"I understand. I'm sorry too, okay? Then I'll drink it for you."
"Thank you, gao~."
She gave Master, who was heading back to the counter, a small bow.
They were photographs of an amusement park with no one in them. It was a somewhat melancholy sight, but to Tatsumin-san, they must have been irreplaceable.
"All right. These will be more than enough reference, gao!"
They would also help her build the future.
"When Tatsumin Land is rebuilt, I'll incorporate plenty of elements from the old Tatsumin Land, gao!"
"Indeed. That would be best. And while you're at it, Tatsumin..."
"Gao?"
Rosso-san's uncovered eye glinted.
"I wasn't sure whether to mention this, but when buildings or property are damaged by a spiritual disaster, the law says that the government helps arrange contractors to remove them and provides subsidies."
"Tell me more."
Tatsumin-san thrust her face toward Rosso-san.
Riko-senpai, who had been sitting between them, was pressed against the wall, while Rosso-san leaned her upper body backward under the sheer force of the pressure.
"W-wait. I'm not that well-informed either."
"Urgh... Tatsumin. It's cramped. I'm being crushed—"
"Ah, sorry, gao. I got carried away."
Rosso-san straightened her posture as Tatsumin-san pulled her face back.
"Ahem. Well, anyway. If removing damaged attractions is necessary for the reconstruction, you would do well to consider it now. I believe there is a time limit from the date of the spiritual disaster."
"Got it, gao. Thank you, gao!"
"Heh... Explaining the law to the people is also a ruler's duty..."
The self-proclaimed demon-world noble Rosso Vendetta-san, twenty-five years old, whose real name was Ishiyama Iwako-san, announced this with an incredibly smug expression.
"At the end of this week, I shall go to your village and persuade the workers at the paper mill. Look forward to it."
"Please do, gao."
"...Um, Rosso-san."
"What is it, young oni? If you have something to ask me, ask whatever you like. I happen to be in a good mood today."
"Hm? You said 'whatever.'"
"I'm grateful that you're going to explain—or rather, persuade them—but please dress appropriately, okay?"
Ignoring Riko-senpai, who instinctively tried to turn it into a joke, I stared straight at Rosso-san.
Then she looked away, her face turning slightly red.
"What is it, young oni? You're talking as if my current outfit is somehow sloppy."
"It isn't sloppy."
"Indeed it isn't! Indeed it isn't! Heh, has my charisma seared itself into your eyes? Very well. Feast your eyes upon the foremost noble of the demon world!"
"I do think it's an outfit that makes you look like your brain is missing."
"That's demon-king-level rude!?"
No, even I thought I was being too blunt. But since it might cause trouble for other people, I thought I should make myself clear.
Beside Rosso-san, who had frozen with her eyes and mouth opened as far as they could go, Riko-senpai laughed and waved a hand from side to side.
"Don't worry, Otaku-kun! We already discussed that she'd go in a proper suit. Grandma and I put the outfit together!"
"Oh, then I suppose it'll be fine."
"Wait, is my credibility really that low...? I'm twenty-five, you know...? Older than you...?"
"...Sorry."
"That apology hurts!"
I quietly looked away from Rosso-san, who was glaring into empty space while biting a handkerchief.
Seriously, I'm sorry. Her usual behavior was just so ridiculous.
"Speaking of which."
Tatsumin-san looked at each of us in turn.
"About the robot we saw that day, can I ask a question, gao?"
At her words, everyone fell silent for a moment.
During the battle with the Lesser Demons, she had seen 'Kenning.' We couldn't put it away until we had confirmed that every enemy had been eliminated.
"Yes... I suppose we should tell Tatsumin-san too."
"Gao. If it's something difficult to talk about, I won't ask, gao."
"Huh?"
Cutting me off, Tatsumin-san raised one hand.
"...Is that all right?"
"Gao. I know everyone worked incredibly hard that day, gao. Even so, it would be rude of me to make an issue of what I saw there, gao. More importantly..."
Tatsumin-san turned her face toward us.
"...I trust you, gao."
"...Thank you."
That day, she had lost many of her memories.
But if she had gained something from it, I was glad for her.
I sincerely hoped that the people gathered here could create new memories with Tatsumin-san.
"As a thank-you, I'll give everyone a Tatsumin dress-up set, gao! They're mascot suits modeled after me, so you should all wear them, gao-ne!"
"No, thanks..."
"Sorry. I'm interested, but it'd be a bit of a hassle."
"I don't think it's really my kind of thing."
"Is that any way to respond after we've built a bond, gao-ne!?"
Well, that's one thing, and this is another.
Being handed a mascot suit would simply put me in a bind.
"I want one."
"Oh...! Miyu-chan... I knew I could trust you, Miyu-chan!"
"I'm curious what a mascot suit is like."
Miyu-san nodded with a pair of proud snorts.
Apparently, she had become hooked on that feeling after stroking Tatsumin-san's stomach before.
"I'll bring one next time, gao! Let's wear them together and take a picture, gao-ne!"
"Yes. But before that, there's something I'd like you to wear too, and, if possible, have your picture taken in."
"What is it, gao? If it's a request from Miyu-chan, I'll wear anything, and pictures are fine too, gao!"
"Ah."
"You idiot!"
"In war, information is always key..."
"Huh? ...Huh?"
Miyu-san took Tatsumin-san's hand.
"Thank you. Then let's go to my house right away. This country has a saying that good deeds should be done promptly."
"...Oh, could this be that punishment game, gao...?"
"Yes."
She nodded with a dignified expression.
"Please cooperate, so that one day I can turn Kota-san into a dress-up doll as well."
Miyu-san's ambition apparently hadn't died out yet.
Was the battle we still couldn't afford to lose going to continue...?
"Poor Tatsumin... I'll gather your bones for you...!"
"Oh, Riko-senpai. This time, I'll prepare a loach-scooping set before I head over. Please count on me."
"Damn it, you never learn!!"
I wouldn't let you escape. Not you.
After that, we got into an argument over whether or not to stick a pair of chopsticks up our noses, and Master scolded us all.
I'm truly sorry.
Also, Master is on the side of sticking them up his nose, so brace yourself, Riko-senpai.