kscans

Chapter 146 - Guardian of Dreams

"So yeah, I got home and Chika-san and the others were there, dressed as bunnies."

"Ah... that's so cringe. Totally cringe, Mama."

"R, Rika-san... Calling it cringe is a bit harsh, isn't it?"

The day after getting beaten up by the three of them. I was finally able to leave work on time, so I decided to check on Rika-chan and the others, since I had not seen them recently. I put them through some light training, and now here I am, having tea with two junior high school girls. The two high school boys have something to do today and are not here, which is a little lonely, but I suppose I will have to make do with having a flower in each hand.

"You know, Mama has a tendency to do things like that. Let me tell you about something from when I was little."

The story Rika-chan told was about one of Chika-san's failed surprises. For the sake of her reputation I will not go into detail, but it was one of those over-the-top surprises. It would be like walking down the street with your boyfriend, passing by a small, family-run Chinese restaurant, and saying something offhand like,

"I could go for some Chinese food."

Then, a few days later, he surprises you by taking you to an absurdly fancy, high-end Chinese restaurant.

"Mama just, you know, doesn't have much experience with that sort of thing, so she goes off in a weird direction."

"I, is that so?"

"Yeah. I mean, she started living a more public life and seems to have made a decent number of friends, but at her core, she's a very serious person."

Rika-chan said she is out of touch because she became an adult without ever really having a chance to cut loose. I laughed a little, since that was almost exactly what I had told the three of them.

"Sarna-chan, you're a similar type to Mama, so I think you should get out there and experience all sorts of things, even if you embarrass yourself a little."

"O, okay."

I think I get it now. Rika-chan is the complete opposite of Chika-san because she grew up watching her mother. Not that Chika-san is at fault, and it is not like Rika-chan is blaming her.

"Anyway, I guess Takahashi-san and Suzuki-san are that type too."

"Those two are the quiet type when they're not hanging around with me."

"You're the type to go wild with basically anyone, Ojisan."

"Hey now, I exercise self-control when I need to."

Like in front of kids or my subordinates. But when I am with friends and have no restraints... fuhehe, my bad! I'm just a party boy at heart!

"Still, a bunny... a bunny, huh... Mama is beautiful, but imagining my own mother in a bunny suit... yeah."

Right. That was perhaps a little thoughtless of me.

"For a guy, is a bunny outfit really something to be happy about?"

"Well, I mean, yeah."

I was in low gear at first yesterday, but if you are asking me if I was happy or not, I was happy.

"Hmm? In that case, should I put one on for you when you're feeling down, Ojisan?"

"Ah, yes. The thought alone is more than enough to make me happy."

"Those words, so full of social pleasantries, have wounded me!!"

An old guy getting excited over a junior high girl in a bunny outfit would be really bad... but then again, with a force as powerful as Sarna-chan, perhaps...? I might just stray from the proper path!!

"There, there, Rika-san, calm down. So? Did you get your energy back, Hideo-san, thanks to your friends entertaining you in bunny outfits?"

Isn't Sarna-chan being a little harsh with me?

"It wasn't so much entertaining as it was them beating me up..."

"Huh, why?"

"Well, you see..."

After I explained the situation,

"Of course they'd be angry. Right, Rika-san?"

"Well, to be honest, I can kind of understand how Ojisan feels... wait, another world!? An elf!? This is the first I'm hearing about this!!"

Oh? About the Arima brothers... ah, right, that was only with Hikaru-kun. The twins were there too, so we did not talk about any of the secret stuff.

"I want to meet them! Can I meet them, Ojisan!?"

"The elf, Setsuko-chan, is still in the medical facility at headquarters so you can't meet her, but the Hero and the Demon King, well."

"There's a Hero and a Demon King too!?"

"Yep, yep. They're the Arima brothers."

Rika-chan's eyes started sparkling as I gave her their brief profiles. As an adult, I have a duty to live up to a child's expectations. I took out my phone and sent them a message, and a reply came back almost immediately. It seemed they had the day off today.

"Looks like they can meet up now. Should I call them over?"

"Yes!! Hey, Sarna-chan, you're curious too, right!?"

"Well, yes. The existence of another world is fascinating, but Rika-san, why are you so..."

Sarna-chan does not seem to know much about subculture. In any case, I got the green light, so I will have them come over. The moment I summoned the two of them with a teleport,

"I'm the Hero!"

"And I'm the Demon King!"

"Together we are, the Arima brothers!"

Are you a comedy duo?

"Wait, they're so flashy... These guys are the Hero and Demon King from another world...?"

In contrast to the dumbfounded Rika-chan, Sarna-chan seemed to sense their power, and her expression tensed slightly.

"Yup, that's right. By the way, I'm the Hero. Name's Yuichi."

"I'm the Demon King, Mao. Easy to remember, right?"

"I'm Saionji Rika... but, huh? I was expecting something more, you know, fantasy-like..."

"They have been living in Japan for quite some time now, so it cannot be helped that they have adapted. Oh, my name is Sarna."

"I'm Satou Hideo!"

"We know." "We know."

Of course you do.

"Well, setting that aside... Alright, Rika-chan, I'll show you something Hero-like."

"Something Hero-like?"

"Behold, the Holy Sword."

The blade he pulled from his subspace had a design that was immediately recognizable as a holy sword. But it was not just its appearance. Rika-chan right now probably could not measure the power it contained precisely, but she should be able to sense its vastness. And that it was not an artifact of this world. It had such an alien presence that even a layperson could tell. Its wielder had adapted nicely and the sense of incongruity had almost disappeared, but his tools were clearly out of place in this world.

"Then I'll show you the Demon Sword."

The thing he also pulled from his subspace had a design that was immediately recognizable as a demon sword. Not that it matters, but your Holy and Demon Swords are a little dusty. You have not used them since you fought me, have you?

"I've got Holy Armor too."

"And Cursed Armor."

The two of them transformed from their tracksuits into quintessentially fantasy-like attire. Rika-chan, who had been watching the scene, trembled and said,

"They're... they're really the Hero and the Demon King... Um! Can I have your autographs!?"

"With pleasure." "With pleasure."

Your fan service is on point, guys.

"Look, Ojisan! It's autographs from the Hero and Demon King of another world!!"

"How about the autograph of a middle-aged Japanese salaryman to go with them?"

"I'm good."

That hurts.

"What's wrong, Arima brothers?"

They were both trembling as if overcome with emotion.

"I don't know... I guess, I just feel like I was able to protect a dream."

"Yeah. We couldn't do it, but to think we were able to live up to an innocent girl's fantasy..."

So that is why. I feel like I might break down in manly tears myself.

"I wanna do more for her... You feel the same way, right, Mao?"

"You bet. Hey, since we're here, why don't we show her us fighting?"

The Arima brothers looked at me. I see. I understood their intent and nodded.

"Who wants to see the strongest on Earth versus the strongest from another world!!" "Who wants to see it!!"

"Me! Me! I do! I really, really want to see it!!"

"I, I would be happy to see it, but your energy level is..."

If I am up against the brothers, I will need to get a little serious myself.