Chapter 128
I still have to talk with Nishino-kun, but first I need to report to City Hall.
After we explained the situation to the people who rushed over, we were immediately shown to a reception room.
The ones who met with us were Mayor Uesugi and Chief Shimizu.
Apparently, like Nishino-kun's group, Chief Shimizu's group had returned for a break.
The two sat facing each other across a table, while Nishino-kun and the others stood along the wall.
Incidentally, Kiki is hiding inside my backpack, which is actually Aka in disguise.
The atmosphere is tense, so it would probably be better not to bring up Kiki right now.
At worst, they might panic and try to exterminate Kiki.
As long as Kiki stays inside Aka, her presence is concealed, and unless she makes a sound, they probably won't notice her.
As soon as we took our seats, Chief Shimizu spoke.
“—So why did you come back so soon? And... where's Fujita-san?”
Everyone's eyes were focused on me. ...My stomach hurts.
Hang in there, me.
Give it your all playing Ichinose-san.
“Um... well, you see...”
I haltingly and desperately explained what had happened.
That we'd encountered survivors from the Self-Defense Forces in the mountains along the prefectural border.
That the Self-Defense Forces' base had already been destroyed.
That I'd come back ahead of the others alone to report it.
And that Fujita-san was heading here with the surviving Self-Defense Force members, among other things.
“—And that's what happened. I'm sorry.”
“There's no need to apologize. ...I see. So Fujita-san isn't dead. ...That's a relief.”
After hearing everything, Chief Shimizu looked relieved.
(It's rare to see Chief Shimizu make a face like that...)
That just goes to show how important Fujita-san is to City Hall.
Chief Shimizu was relieved they hadn't lost a valuable member of their team.
“So we can't get help from the Self-Defense Forces...”
Mayor Uesugi muttered as he stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.
To be precise, the six survivors had promised to work with us, though.
“In that case, we must immediately consider our next move. We need to think about what to do once Fujita returns, too.”
“Yes. We've also received a report from another team that they spotted a higher-ranked ant in the shopping district. There may be a main ant nest somewhere around there. We've also found several new sites where Golems have fought. Perhaps there are people besides us fighting them...”
“Time is limited. We should focus on dealing with the ants around the shopping district. At the same time, we need to recruit more people. If others are fighting Golems, we'd certainly like to add them to our forces.”
“In that case—”
The two continued their discussion based on the information we'd given them.
I thought they'd be more shaken, but they seemed surprisingly calm.
(They'd probably already anticipated something like this...)
Fujita-san had said something along those lines, too. Fujita-san must have considered every possible situation in advance.
Maybe Fujita-san had told the mayor and Chief Shimizu before leaving.
That person really is sharp.
In any case, after finishing our report, we left the reception room.
Then we moved to the roof of City Hall.
We could look out over the whole area from behind the fence.
“Well, we shouldn't be interrupted up here.”
Nishino-kun said that as he leaned against the fence.
After leaving the reception room, he'd volunteered to take a turn keeping watch from the roof while he rested.
He'd acted as though he didn't want to take a break while everyone else was working, but he probably really wanted to talk with me without anyone interrupting.
“I suppose so...”
The only ones on the roof now were me, Nishino-kun, and Rikka-chan.
Shibata-kun and Goshogawara-san were waiting by the door.
They were keeping watch to make sure nobody came in.
“First, could you drop your disguise? You'll show me your real appearance, right?”
“Of course.”
I dispelled my Transformation Technique.
Ichinose-san's appearance shimmered like a heat haze, revealing my original form.
“...I see. So that's what you really look like. Rikka told me about it, but it's hard to believe even seeing it for myself. A Skill that lets you change your appearance at will...”
“It does have various limitations. Anyway, this is what I really look like.”
Nishino-kun stared at me for a while, then suddenly exclaimed, “Oh!”
“Could it be... back then...?”
“Huh?”
“Back then—in the school cafeteria, the one facing off against Katsuragi... that was you?”
Katsuragi...? Oh, that girl who controlled monsters.
The awful girl who caused a monster panic at school and destroyed it.
In the end, the Dark Wolf she'd forced into submission turned on her, and she met a gruesome death, consumed by its darkness. If she'd still been alive, she would undoubtedly have been an even greater threat than the monsters.
“That's right. I mean, I was wearing a hood back then. How did you recognize me?”
When I nodded, Nishino-kun bowed his head.
“Then first, let me thank you. Thank you for saving Rikka.”
He's using polite speech now.
I'd thought this before, but Nishino-kun is honest when it comes to his friends.
“Ah, it's no big deal. We help each other out when we're in trouble. Also, could you thank Ichinose-san instead of me? I couldn't have saved Aisaka-san without her.”
“Is that... so?”
“It is.”
That's the truth.
Without Ichinose-san's Potions, I wouldn't have been able to save Rikka-chan.
“...I see. Understood. By the way, where is the ‘real’ her now?”
“She's on the roof of that building over there.”
I pointed to the roof of a building some distance away.
It was a little far, but I had Telescopic Vision and Physical Ability Enhancement.
I could see her clearly up on the roof.
Oh, our eyes met. Ichinose-san looked surprised, with an expression that said, “No way...”
“...You can see her? From this far away?”
“Yes. ...Can't you?”
When I deliberately answered that way, Nishino-kun was at a loss for words.
Oh, I got an Email. It's probably from Ichinose-san.
“...It doesn't seem like you're lying.”
“I can't believe it...” Nishino-kun muttered.
“Is that a Skill, too?”
“Yes. It's called Telescopic Vision. It lets you see distant things more clearly.”
I didn't need to hide this.
So I answered honestly.
“...You have a disguise Skill, a Skill that lets you see far away, and one that lets you handle vehicles, right? ...Just how many Skills do you have?”
Now, how should I answer that?
After pretending to think for a moment, I replied.
“Let's see... around twenty, I suppose.”
“Twenty...!”
Nishino-kun was stunned.
I actually had more than thirty—or over forty if you counted the Skills that had been integrated—but there was no need to mention that.
He looked astonished, but eventually he seemed to steel himself and spoke.
“...Kudo-san, could you raise your right hand?”
“Huh? ...Um, like this?”
“...!”
When I obediently raised my right hand, Nishino-kun looked even more surprised.
What's going on?
“...Did you feel anything strange just now?”
“Huh? ...No, nothing in particular.”
“I see... I can't believe it...”
What is this about, anyway?
Nishino-kun sighed, then changed his expression.
“Kudo-san, there's something I want to ask you first. Why did you want to join forces with us? ...Honestly, you don't seem like someone who needs help from other people.”
“Do I?”
To be honest, I'm always doing my best just to get by.
How many times do you think I've nearly died over the past six days?
“Judging by what happened at school, you have combat Skills and stealth Skills, too, right? I don't know how you got such a wide variety of Skills, but with that much power, you shouldn't need to team up with anyone. At least, that's what I would do.”
...This kid really is perceptive.
He's seen right through me.
—Getting involved with other people is a hassle.
Yeah, I still feel that way.
But things don't go that smoothly in this world.
“Well, yes. I think you're right.”
“Then—”
“That's exactly why I want to join forces with you.”
He cuts loose those he's willing to abandon without hesitation. But he never gives up on the people close to him.
Nishino-kun knows how to draw that line.
Surprisingly few people can do that in a situation like this.
Well, the student council president and that monster tamer girl would probably cut people off without a second thought.
“If we work together, I think we can make up for what each of us lacks.”
What I lack...
Manpower and communication skills. Those are important.
No matter how many Skills I get or how high my stats rise, there are plenty of problems I can't solve alone.
For me and Ichinose-san, who aren't good at communicating, Nishino-kun would be the perfect partner.
And for Nishino-kun, too, there'd be a huge benefit in adding us to his forces.
“That's... certainly possible...”
Nishino-kun was lost in thought.
He probably couldn't quite figure out what I was after.
“Then how about this? For now, why don't we join forces for just these three days?”
“Three days...?”
“Yes. At the very least, once we've dealt with the ants and the Golems, the situation should change. How about we form a temporary party until then? Of course, if we team up, we'll both give it our all.”
After thinking for a moment, Nishino-kun nodded.
“...All right. If we can't get through this situation, we're finished anyway. Besides...”
His gaze briefly turned toward Rikka-chan.
“She finally got to see her best friend again. Even in a situation like this... I'd like her to be able to smile. For her sake, too, I want to build a good relationship with you.”
“...I understand.”
I see. So that was what he really wanted.
It seemed Rikka-chan was the main reason he'd agreed so easily.
He'd apparently thought that if we didn't form a party, she and Ichinose-san would end up apart.
I mean, Nishino-kun really is handsome, saying something like that so casually.
He must have been popular at school.
“Kudo-san.”
Nishino-kun held out his right hand to me.
“I look forward to working with you.”
“Likewise. I look forward to working with you, too.”
I firmly shook his hand.
Then we let go and bumped fists.
And then I smiled faintly.
(Hmm, if it was going to go this smoothly, would it have been better to just speak honestly from the start?)
Then things wouldn't have gotten tangled up over Email and all... No, but Ichinose-san's social awkwardness couldn't be helped.
(Things took a roundabout route, but I should think of it as having worked out well in the end.)
Oh, right. I need to tell him about Aka and Kiki, too.
At this point, I don't think there'll be any problem telling him.
“Also, Nishino-kun, there's one more thing I need to tell you.”
“...What is it?”
“I'd like to introduce my companions. Kiki.”
“Kyuu♪”
Kiki poked her head out of my backpack.
“...Huh?”
Nishino-kun stared at her blankly.
“This is Kiki, a Lesser Carbuncle. And this is Aka, a slime.”
“...♪ (quivers~)”
Aka shed its backpack disguise and returned to its original form.
Then it climbed onto my head and wobbled as it bowed... or something.
“...Huh? Wait, what? Huh?! Whaaaaaaaaat?!”
He was incredibly surprised.
Wow, I didn't know Nishino-kun could make that kind of face.
After I properly explained everything about the two of them, Nishino-kun somehow managed to accept it.
“...This can't be real. There's no way this is real... What is with you...?”
“Kyuu♪”
As Nishino-kun clutched his head and muttered to himself, Kiki tried to comfort him.
“You okay?” she asked, patting him with her front paws.
It seemed Kiki had taken quite a liking to Nishino-kun.
All right, next we should go over the plan from here on and compare information.