The Beginning of the Sixth Day

Dawn broke.

It was the morning of the sixth day.

When I sat up and looked beside me, Rikka-chan was there.

She was making adorable little sleeping sounds.

Beyond her, Chief Shimizu and Nijo were sleeping, and women from the evacuation center were asleep all around us.

(This feels like a school trip...)

Sleeping together in a large room.

It really was just like a school trip.

The only difference was that this wasn't school or a trip—it was survival.

There were no tickets for the ride home.

I checked my body.

I was still in Ichinose-san's form.

(Thank goodness 'Transformation Technique' kept working even while I was asleep......)

Otherwise, I would've had to go to a lot of unnecessary trouble.

The drawback was that I couldn't use any other ninjutsu, but in terms of energy efficiency, it might be the best of the ninjutsu I could currently use.

"Even so......"

I looked around the room.

Everyone had terrible sleeping habits.

Nijo was sleeping with her stomach exposed, while Chief Shimizu's hair, usually tied up like a dumpling, was all disheveled. She looked nothing like her usual dignified self.

How does it make sense that the gal, Rikka-chan, has the best sleeping posture?

And what impressive mounds, visible even through the blanket.

They rose and fell with her breathing. Thank you.

I might as well pay my respects for now.

≪You received an email≫

Hm?

'Good morning. Did you sleep well last night?

Also, don't send lewd looks at Ricchan—especially at her chest—okay?'

Oof......

What was with this girl? She was terrifying. Her intuition was way too sharp.

I considered getting back at her for yesterday by sending a message saying, “Rikka-chan is sleeping beside me,” but my instincts and Skills told me that doing so would bring something to an end, so I held back.

"......Hm? Yaaawn, good morning, Nattsun......"

While I was thinking that, Rikka-chan seemed to wake up as well.

She rubbed her eyes and gazed at me.

She usually wore her hair in a side ponytail, so seeing it let down was somewhat refreshing.

By the way, she was wearing only a dress shirt and underwear as pajamas—a very sexy outfit.

Thank you.

"Yes, good morning."

"......?"

Rikka-chan tilted her head.

After staring intently at me, she smacked her fist into her palm.

"Ah......right, you were big bro~"

Had she forgotten the premise again?

Well, she had only just woken up, so she probably wasn't fully awake yet.

With a wry smile, I put my index finger to Rikka-chan's lips and said, "Don't say that, okay?"

"......Mmph, sor......nom."

Rikka-chan nodded repeatedly.

Perhaps she was still half-asleep, because she tried to suck on my finger. Like a baby bird?

I quickly pulled my finger away and avoided it.

"......It looks like the others are starting to wake up, too."

I could sense Nijo and Chief Shimizu beginning to wake up.

I had been careful, so they shouldn't have heard our conversation.

Even if they had, I could easily pass it off as something said while we were half-asleep.

"......Oh? You two are already awake?"

"Mmm......good morning......"

Chief Shimizu, followed by Nijo, sat up.

I looked toward them and gave a slight bow.

I was playing the part of someone shy, after all.

Rikka-chan simply greeted them normally.

The four of us left the room and washed our faces in the washroom.

Apparently, the toothbrushes and cups were shared.

Well, I suppose that couldn't be helped.

After that came changing clothes.

I had already changed, so I went outside the room and waited.

I wasn't about to openly peek in and go, "Yah-ha!"

Rikka-chan had said, "I don't really mind, though?" But she didn't care nearly enough.

You should have a little more modesty. You'll give boys the wrong idea.

Besides, even if you don't mind, Chief Shimizu and Nijo were in there, too.

As I sat on a bench in the hallway, Nishino-kun came over.

Behind him were Shibata-kun and Goshogawara-san... was it?

When Nishino-kun noticed me, he gave me a little wave.

"Morning."

"Ah, yes, good morning......"

Since Nishino-kun had greeted me, I greeted him back without making eye contact.

"Where's Rikka?"

"......She's still changing."

"Ah, right. Then we'll wait here, too. Is that okay?"

I moved over to the end of the bench to show that I didn't mind.

Nishino-kun sat beside me, with Shibata-kun next to him.

Goshogawara-san remained standing.

"......Did you sleep well last night?"

Nishino-kun spoke to me.

"Ah, yes. I slept, yes......"

"You don't have to be so formal......No, I suppose it can't be helped. We hardly ever talked in the first place."

"......Yes, yes."

"Still, given the situation, it may be selfish of me to ask, but it would help if we could work together for now."

"......Ah, um......"

"Tch. Hey, you! Nishino-san's been talking to you this whole time, so what's with that attitude!?"

Perhaps he couldn't stand my attitude—my act—any longer, because Shibata-kun glared at me.

≪Your proficiency has reached a certain threshold≫

≪Your 'Acting' Skill rose from Lv. 2 to 3≫

Oh, nice. My Skill leveled up.

As expected, Skills level up faster when they're low-level.

I did a mental fist pump, then shrank back fearfully with a "Eep!"

From the gun Aka slung over my shoulder, I sensed it asking, "You okay?"

I'm fine. No problem. It's just an act, Aka.

"Stop it, Shibata."

"Tch......Sorry, Nishino-san. I just......"

"Shibata, you're apologizing to the wrong person. Apologize to her properly, not me."

Shibata-kun came over in front of me and bowed his head.

"......Sorry. I just lost my temper."

"Ah, no, it's okay, really......"

Huh......He was surprisingly obedient.

I was a little surprised by his attitude.

He was completely different from how he'd acted at the home improvement store, where he had always been overbearing toward anyone outside his group.

"......" Stare.

"W-What is it?"

"No, it's nothing."

"Tch......What a weird girl......"

He'd really grown, huh?

I couldn't help looking at him with fondness.

For some reason, Shibata-kun blushed and looked away.

"Oh, it's Nissy! And Shibacchi, too. Mornin'!"

Rikka-chan, apparently finished changing, came out of the room.

Chief Shimizu and Nijo came out as well.

"Morning, Rikka. Sleep well?"

"Yep, perfectly."

Chief Shimizu and the others behind her greeted us as well.

After that, we all headed to the dining hall together.

Breakfast consisted of solid rations and sports drinks.

"That's all?"

Chief Shimizu gave a wry smile at Rikka-chan's unreserved reaction.

Breakfast itself was over in a matter of minutes, after which an information exchange began under the guise of small talk.

Nishino-kun and Chief Shimizu did most of the talking.

Rikka-chan and I were almost entirely listeners.

The two of them discussed what had happened at school and how they had made it here.

Shibata-kun occasionally tried talking to me, but I brushed him off.

(So Chief Shimizu and the others were attacked by that golem and came here......)

They had been attacked by that golem while barricaded inside their office.

I was impressed they had managed to escape from that thing.

From what I heard, they had somehow gotten away while the golem was devouring the building.

Nishino-kun had been skeptical that such a ridiculously huge golem existed, but after Rikka-chan and I told him that we had encountered it, he finally seemed to believe us.

The discussion continued afterward, but to be honest, we didn't learn much useful information.

A few minutes later.

Mayor Uesugi and Fujita-san appeared in the dining hall.

"Good morning, Mayor Uesugi, Fujita-san."

Everyone greeted them, beginning with Chief Shimizu.

"Morning. Looks like everyone's here. Good, good."

Mayor Uesugi replied in his usual easygoing manner.

He didn't let the attitude he'd shown during yesterday's discussion show in the slightest.

"Has everyone finished breakfast?"

"Yes."

Chief Shimizu answered on everyone's behalf.

"Then today's meeting will begin in twenty minutes. Members of Teams One through Five, come to the conference room. Be sure everyone attends. Make sure to inform any members who aren't here later."

Chief Shimizu, Nijo, and several others nodded.

So they had been selected as some of the key members here, too.

"Chief Shimizu, what meeting?"

Nishino-kun asked.

"Oh, right. I haven't explained that yet. Here at City Hall, we gather the exploration members twice a day, in the morning and evening, to share the day's plans and results. We couldn't meet yesterday evening because the electricity was restored, though."

"Oh, I see......By the way, can we participate, too?"

"Huh?"

Chief Shimizu looked surprised by Nishino-kun's words.

"We have Skills, too, and I think we can contribute in a fight. So I think it's necessary for us to share information."

I could practically hear the unspoken message: We don't want to be forced to obey you unilaterally.

Chief Shimizu probably understood that as well.

She rested a hand against her chin and thought for a moment.

"......That's true. All right. I'll talk it over with Mayor Uesugi and Fujita-san."

"Please do."

Chief Shimizu and Nijo left the dining hall right away.

Rikka-chan was the one who spoke up once they had left.

"That's unexpected. You're being pretty cooperative, huh?"

"Is that so? This place is valuable enough as a base. I have no objection to cooperating. Besides, we owe Fujita-san and the others for helping us."

"Unlike at school," Nishino-kun added with a sarcastic smile.

Come to think of it, he'd been brainwashed by the student council president back then.

He seemed fine now, but how had he managed to break free?

Had there been a time limit? Or had that student council president died?

"Besides, I've already instructed the other members by email to gather here at City Hall today. Once everyone arrives, our group will have ten members, including Ichinose-san. Yesterday, during the mayor's speech, I looked over the other evacuees. I think there are probably about twenty people who could fight decently, including that woman Shimizu and Fujita-san."

Nishino-kun's assessment was accurate.

According to what we'd heard yesterday, there were seventeen people at City Hall capable of fighting.

"In other words, our group makes up one-third of City Hall's total fighting force. That's too many for them to ignore. They won't be able to treat us dismissively......Besides, it doesn't look like anyone here has a mind-control-type Skill, either."

Nishino-kun said that with a dark smile.

What had happened at school must have affected him deeply.

I could sense his strong determination not to be used, and to survive no matter what.

That was reassuring in its own way.

(But......the real problem starts now.)

At the meeting that was about to take place, Mayor Uesugi and Fujita-san would tell everyone about what had happened yesterday.

Depending on the outcome, the community could split apart internally and collapse.

How would Nishino-kun and the others act?

Would they trust them and cooperate, or would they leave this place......?

As I brooded over it, Chief Shimizu returned.

"We got permission. Mayor Uesugi said he would be very happy for you all to participate, too."

"I see. Thank you."

"Then, could you come with us right away? It looks like everyone else has already gathered."

Following behind Chief Shimizu, we left the dining hall.