Chapter 98
Some time earlier.
Nishino had come to a convenience store near the school with Shibata and the others.
"Well, thank goodness there was still food left."
"Yeah. Honestly, that was a lifesaver."
Nishino nodded as he took a sip from a bottle of tea.
The fresh foods, such as salads and boxed lunches, had spoiled badly, but canned goods, vacuum-packed foods, and snacks were still perfectly edible.
Looking around the store, he saw his companions sitting on the floor and continuing to wolf down their food.
They didn't need to panic; the food wasn't going anywhere, but there was little to be done about it.
After all, they hadn't eaten a proper meal in several days.
Nishino's group, including Nishino himself, now numbered fewer than ten, but feeding even that many people still required a considerable amount of food.
Nishino and his companions were high school students at an age when both their bodies and appetites were growing.
They must have felt hunger more keenly than most.
Food had always been in short supply, both at the home improvement center and at the school, so finding untouched supplies in this convenience store was truly 'good luck.'
(Now, what should we do...?)
As he picked at a convenience-store-exclusive flavor of potato chips, Nishino thought about what to do next.
Where should they go from here?
How should they act?
(The nearest place where people were likely to have gathered was city hall. Should we head there after all...?)
The rule of thumb when looking for separated companions was to start with places where people were likely to gather.
Besides, since they had Skills, they would probably be welcomed as useful fighters.
He had no intention of cozying up to anyone, but there was no harm in establishing a cooperative relationship.
―――Except for one concern.
(It would be troublesome if someone with a 'Mind Control'-type Skill, like her—President Igarashi—were there...)
Nishino had now been freed from Toka's 'Charm.'
That was because Igarashi Toka's 'Charm' Skill had a time limit.
Unless its effect was periodically 'overwritten,' it would reset.
To compensate for that, she had regularly arranged discussion sessions at school, keeping the Skill's effect active without anyone noticing, but the monster attack had rendered that meaningless.
Nishino had returned to his normal state of mind. At the same time, he remembered how he had acted at school and realized for certain that she had 'brainwashed' him.
(What an idiot I was...)
He may have been more desperate than he realized.
Being separated from his companions had apparently shaken him more than expected.
At this rate, he had no right to laugh at Rikka, either.
Since he himself possessed 'that kind of Skill,' he should have been at least a little suspicious that someone—especially an ordinary high school girl—could command so many people.
He had been unbelievably careless.
(A Resistance Skill. Or perhaps a Skill that could 'undo' brainwashing even if I were subjected to it...)
Anti-brainwashing measures.
He was extremely wary of being brainwashed by someone again.
And not just himself—his companions too.
He absolutely refused to meet a fate where he was brainwashed and turned into someone else's disposable pawn.
Precisely because he had once chosen to abandon the refugees when the High Orcs attacked the home improvement center, he understood that possibility—and how frightening it was—all too well.
(Or perhaps we should just keep leveling up on our own and establish a base somewhere...?)
Without adding people unnecessarily, they could steadily level up.
After that, they could establish a base and carefully 'select' the people they recruited.
Wouldn't that be a more efficient way to survive in this world?
(...That could work.)
Companions and strangers.
Lives to save and lives to abandon.
To him, lives did not all have equal value.
He would use anything that could be used, and protect whatever needed protecting, even at the cost of his life.
The current world was putting that principle to the most direct test imaginable.
(What a thoroughly rotten world...)
Without Skills, people couldn't fight monsters.
But precisely because Skills existed, they also had to be wary of other humans.
As he cursed inwardly, he suddenly felt someone's gaze.
Shibata was looking at him with an anxious expression.
"What's wrong, Nishino-san? You're making a scary face."
"Hm? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something."
"Thinking about something—about what to do from here, maybe?"
"Yeah, that too. And about Rikka and Ohno..."
He tossed a snack into his mouth.
The seasoning was so strong that it made his tongue sting. He didn't particularly like it, but he couldn't afford to be picky.
He washed it down with tea, clearing the taste from his mouth.
"...I hope everyone's all right."
"They're alive. Absolutely."
At least Rikka and Ohno are, he added silently.
Nishino had no doubts that those two were alive.
Rikka was the strongest among them, while Ohno's timidity was a weakness, but when it came to 'surviving,' he was beyond reproach.
(Well, I still have some doubts about the others...)
It wasn't something he should say here.
There was no need to make his companions anxious for no reason.
"Well, shall we get moving soon...?"
He was just about to stand up when it happened.
≪―――You have received an email≫
A voice echoed in Nishino's head.
"...Huh?"
An email...?
What was that voice just now?
Nishino was briefly confused and looked around.
"What's wrong?"
"No..."
≪You have met the required conditions≫
≪You can now acquire the Skill 'Mail'≫
≪You currently have one unread email≫
Again.
The voice echoed in his head once more.
"Tch..."
Nishino hurriedly checked his status screen.
The status screen then changed into an email interface.
He stared at the change, then checked each item one by one.
Shibata was looking at him worriedly from beside him, but Nishino had no attention to spare for that.
Eventually, he found an item labeled 'Unread' and clicked it.
(Recipient: 'AISAKA RIKKA'? ...Rikka—Rikka!?)
The instant he saw the name, the color drained from his face.
It was the name of the companion he had been searching for.
(Was it really her? Or someone else...?)
He immediately read through the message.
'Hey, Nissy! You still alive? It's Rikka! (o^∇^o)ノ
Sorry for emailing you out of the blue! Surprised, huh? (・ω<) Tee-hee.
Apparently, this is a Skill called 'Mail.'
Are you all safe over there?
I'm seriously worried.
Oh, by the way, I'm doing great, as you can see! v(。・ω・。) Yay♪'
"………………"
Then, all expression vanished from his face.
Shibata let out a startled squeak beside him.
(No... Hold it together. I have to hold it together.)
He was relieved that Rikka was safe, and he had all kinds of thoughts about the 'Mail' Skill and everything else—but that idiotic opening made him feel as though it had ruined all of it.
Nishino took a deep breath and lightly pressed his thumb between his eyebrows.
Calm down. Get a grip.
Suppressing the emotions welling up inside him, Nishino read through the message.
(I see...)
Aside from the ridiculous opening, the contents were surprisingly sensible.
It described Rikka's current situation, explained the 'Mail' Skill, and asked him to acquire it and contact her if possible.
It also contained astonishing new information for Nishino, including details about 'magic stones' and wild animals.
(At the very least, Rikka herself must have sent this email. Of that, there's no doubt.)
In a situation this tense, no one else would use such an irritating emoticon.
At least Rikka was alive.
And she was trying to contact him.
But... Nishino thought.
(Who was helping her?)
The conclusion came to him immediately.
Put bluntly, Rikka was an idiot.
She was always short on both thought and words, the type to act before she spoke.
There was no way she could have organized so much information accurately into a clear message and sent it to him.
She had a collaborator.
Someone who had composed the message for that dim-witted girl and told her to send it to him.
Who could it be?
Possibilities included the student council members who had been at the school and his own companions who had been separated from him.
And—
(Could it be Ichinose Natsu?)
The battle in the cafeteria.
Rikka's suspicious behavior before it began.
At the time, Rikka had definitely muttered something like 'Mail' and 'Nattsun.'
(Rikka had clearly been acting strange then...)
No, even before that, Rikka had been concerned about Ichinose's presence.
Her going off on her own in the cafeteria also made sense if she had been following Ichinose.
(If so, did Rikka join up with Ichinose after that battle? And did Ichinose teach Rikka the details of the 'Mail' Skill, then send this to me...?)
Nishino rested a hand on his chin and thought.
Was that speculation a little too much of a stretch?
(The only thing I can say for certain is that Rikka is traveling with someone else. If so—)
He quickly navigated his status plate and opened the list of additional Skills available to acquire.
'Mail' had been added at the very bottom.
"―――Shibata."
"What is it, Nishino-san?"
"I acquired a new Skill, and I want to try it out. Will you cooperate with me?"
"Huh? Oh, sure. What kind of Skill is it?"
Nishino grinned and said,
"―――'Mail.'"
Either way, there was no harm in acquiring this Skill.
Given the state of the world, the Skill's value was incalculable.