Chapter 77
Nishino and Rikka were in the school cafeteria.
They were there to meet the members of the exploration team.
They took their seats and waited for the members to arrive.
With the other students rushing busily about, simply sitting there doing nothing but waiting was rather frustrating.
"Are they here yet?"
Rikka muttered listlessly, swinging her legs.
"They'll be here soon. We just have to wait here until then."
"Fiiine..."
Nishino gave a wry smile at her listless attitude.
While waiting for the other members, they exchanged idle chatter.
As they did, several students approached from the entrance.
Seeing the person at the head of the group, Nishino inwardly grimaced.
"...Hmph. You managed to assemble without being late. For a delinquent, that's a commendable attitude."
Nishino inwardly smiled wryly at Miyamoto's opening salvo.
He wondered why this guy went out of his way to create friction with people.
Or was he deliberately provoking them, waiting for them to make a move?
If so, Nishino couldn't take the bait, no matter how obvious the provocation was.
"Thanks for that. So why are you here? We were told this was a meeting with the exploration team, weren't we?"
"Yes, that's right. However, the arrangements have changed. You'll be members of the team searching for suspicious individuals around the school with us. And I'll be in command. That's all there is to it."
Nishino tilted his head at Miyamoto's explanation.
"...Search for suspicious individuals? What does that mean?"
"The president believes the monster attack was caused by human action. She's saying we're going to find whoever was responsible."
"What...?"
Nishino's eyes widened.
Apparently, the others hadn't been told the details either, because the members behind Miyamoto began murmuring softly.
"Hmph. You look as though you never even considered it, you lowlife delinquents. President Igarashi said there were suspicious aspects to this monster attack. She realized that someone was controlling the monsters from behind the scenes."
"Huh... I see. But if that's what you're saying, you hadn't noticed either, right? Just like us 'dim-witted delinquents.'"
When Nishino deliberately provoked him, Miyamoto's face turned bright red.
"S-shut up! Be quiet! Of course I noticed! I-I just deliberately chose not to say anything!"
Apparently, he could belittle others, but couldn't stand having it done to him. He had very little tolerance for provocation. Nishino was inwardly fed up with him.
That attitude seemed to irritate Miyamoto even more.
Miyamoto irritably adjusted his crooked glasses.
"In any case! You have been chosen as members of the team searching for that monster tamer. ...Normally, just imagining having to work with delinquents like you makes me sick, but President Igarashi specifically ordered me to include you and Aisaka-san as members. I cannot disregard her command. Hmph, delinquents like you have been given the honor of helping that esteemed lady alongside me. You'd better cry tears of gratitude!"
"...Nissy, can I punch this guy? Actually, I'm going to punch him. I'm gonna flatten his face."
At Miyamoto's condescending words, Rikka finally reached her limit. She stood and clenched her fist; the killing intent she released was more than enough to frighten Miyamoto.
He let out a pathetic squeak.
"Stop, Rikka."
"Why are you stopping me, Nissy?"
"Punching him here won't accomplish anything. ...Besides, it would only cause trouble for President Igarashi."
"...That makes even less sense to me. Who cares about that? And why are you bringing up that woman's name?"
Though she found Nishino's strangely strong defense of the student council president odd, Rikka lowered her fist for the time being.
"Hmph. How barbaric... In any case, let's go!"
Miyamoto was clearly putting on a brave front as he turned on his heel and hurried to leave.
As the other members followed him, Nishino couldn't help but wonder.
(Someone controlling monsters... That's troublesome...)
And powerful enough to control monsters that strong.
That was a considerable threat.
They certainly needed to investigate promptly.
For the president.
(That's right. No matter what, I have to protect President Igarashi...)
Because the president was a precious, precious person.
............Huh? Why had the president been precious to him again?
What was this? Something didn't sit right.
Why did he feel so strongly about the president?
"What's wrong, Nishino-kun?"
The voice brought Nishino's thoughts back to reality.
Beside him was a short-haired female student in a school-issued tracksuit.
It was Katsuragi, the girl he'd reunited with at the shopping mall.
"Oh, Katsuragi-san. No, it's nothing."
"Really? You looked like you were thinking really hard."
"Haha, thanks for worrying about me. ...By the way, are you joining the exploration team too?"
Nishino changed the subject somewhat forcefully.
"Oh, yeah. My level's low, but given the circumstances, I want to be useful to everyone too. And, I'm sorry about earlier, you two. I made you feel bad... Miyamoto-san isn't a bad person, either, but, well, he really seems to hate delinquents..."
"It's all right. I don't mind."
When Nishino said this, Katsuragi looked relieved.
"Oh, Katsuragi's with us too. Nice to meet you!"
Rikka slipped an arm around Katsuragi's shoulders. Katsuragi flinched for a moment at the sudden familiarity, but soon smiled.
"Y-yeah. Nice to meet you too, Aisaka-san."
The two of them shook hands.
Nishino watched them with a fond smile.
(That's right. For now, finding whoever's controlling the monsters comes first.)
With that thought, Nishino set aside the small question he'd felt earlier.
"All right, shall we go too?"
"Yeah. If we keep talking, that glasses guy'll make another snide remark."
Rikka said this while mimicking the motion of pushing up her glasses, and they laughed in agreement.
It was right after that.
"...Hm?"
Rikka tilted her head.
"What's wrong, Rikka?"
"No, I just heard some weird voice. It said, 'You have received mail.'"
"Mail?"
"Yeah."
Wondering what it could be, Rikka opened her Status Plate.
It was the same voice she'd heard when she leveled up, so she thought there might be some information displayed there.
As expected, the screen changed.
"Huh, what's this? ...Mail menu? One unread message...?"
It was a screen she'd never seen before.
The section marked unread was blinking.
She casually touched it, and the screen changed again.
"Sender... Ichinose Natsu. Huh, Nattsun? Huh? Ah, what?"
The instant she saw the sender's name, Rikka's confusion deepened.
"Hey, what's wrong, Rikka?"
Nishino's puzzled voice didn't reach Rikka now.
Her attention was already riveted to the email screen in front of her.
The next thing to catch her eye was the subject.
"Subject... Run?"
And finally, the body.
There was only one succinct sentence written there.
―――Get away from that guy right now.
"...Huh?"
Immediately afterward, with a small gunshot, Katsuragi, who had been beside her, was blown away.