kscans

Chapter 236 - Interlude: Their Respective Paths

Interlude: Their Respective Paths

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"It feels so wonderful... to be alive...!"

"You said it...!"

In Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

In the lobby of the `Walkers` guild headquarters, Yamashita Hiroshi and Kawashima Shougo had tears streaming down their faces.

The guild master and one of his top officers were both acting bizarrely, but the headquarters staff paid them no mind. They just walked past with a casual, "Ah, welcome back, sir."

It wasn't unusual for the leadership, especially Yamashita, to end up like this. The staff just assumed he'd gotten tangled up with the freaks from the `Alchemy Enthusiasts Club` again and kept their distance, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire.

Yamashita Hiroshi. He was a man with more charisma than he gave himself credit for, but he was recognized less for that and more for being a 'weirdo magnet.'

"I can't believe it... three emergency landings, including a Cessna, before we could even get home... a boat exploding twice... and we almost died five times while traveling by car or bus..."

"I'm never, ever going abroad again...!"

Yamashita covered his face, sobbing quietly, while Shougo wept manfully beside him.

Two women approached them with brisk steps.

"Welcome back, big brother! Shougo-san! Are you okay!?"

"Akemi..."

It was Yamashita Akemi, the sister of the cat-eared sibling duo, and her friend, Kiriko.

Yamashita raised his head and sniffled.

"Sniff... You were that worried about me...! I'm so happy...!"

"Ew, gross. Go die."

"Sorry. Even I thought that was a bit much."

Seeing his sister's genuine look of disgust, Yamashita wiped his tears with a handkerchief.

"Well, yeah. My bad. Sorry we're late getting back."

"No, it's fine. Something really bad happened, right?"

"You can tell...?"

"The vice-chairman of the club came all the way here to warn us, so yeah."

"What?"

Yamashita's expression turned dead serious as he partially summoned his Arcane Gear.

He materialized an iron hammer in his hand and turned toward the entrance, but Shougo grabbed him to stop him.

"Don't do it, Hiroshi! You're totally planning to storm the club's headquarters, aren't you!?"

"Shut up! A pervert got close to my sister, of course I'm gonna do something! This time I'll wipe those idiots off the face of the earth!"

"You're breaking character!"

"Brother. Cut it out and listen to me seriously."

"Ah, yes, ma'am."

At his sister's stern expression, Yamashita made the hammer disappear. Shougo let out a sigh of relief.

Incidentally, during this exchange, Kiriko was breathing heavily at the sight of the two men pressed together, but Akemi completely ignored her.

"Things have been getting really sketchy lately. I'll give you the details in my room."

"Got it... You're sure nothing weird happened to you, right?"

"Of course not. If it had, that pervert's funeral would've been held by now."

"R-Right."

"Hahaha! Well, Akemi-chan is as tough as ever! Guess I'll let you siblings have your time. I'm heading home to—"

"Ah, Shougo-san, this way. There's a pile of paperwork waiting for you."

"Eh?"

As Shougo tried to laugh and walk away, Kiriko grabbed his bicep firmly with both hands.

"No, I'm seriously exhausted—"

"Discussions on the production system for 'Simple Magic Tools,' a meeting with the association for victims of `Turohorse`, collection of the drop items needed for that plan. And so on, and so on. There's plenty of work to do."

"...Don't tell me you guys are exhausted too, Kiriko-chan?"

"Yep. To be specific, I'm on my second all-nighter."

"...I'll do my best."

"Please do."

Yamashita gave a salute to his childhood friend as he was led away like cattle to the slaughter.

"Farewell, my friend... I'll rest after my meeting."

"What are you talking about, brother? You have a huge pile of work waiting for you, too."

"I had a feeling."

Yamashita's tail drooped limply.

"Well, you should at least be able to relax tonight, so hang in there until then."

"Yeah..."

The guild master of the `Walkers` was also led away.

Once they were in the elevator, Akemi asked her brother as if she'd just remembered something.

"So, it sounds like you had a pretty rough journey. Did you fight assassins, like in the movies? You know, brawling on the roof of a train, or a gunfight on a ship?"

"Of course not."

At his sister's words, Yamashita gave a small shrug.

"We never even met anyone like that... thanks to the Lucky Squirrel."

"Lucky... Squirrel?"

"I'll have to go thank Director Akasaka later. He's probably one of the director's people. I'm sure he'll pass along the message if I ask."

Yamashita's eyes grew a little distant as he wondered what to get as a thank-you gift.

It wasn't until the clock's hand had nearly made a full circle that he and his friends were finally able to return to their homes.



"Japan, I have returned...!"

"Ah, welcome back, Prez. Did your art style change or something?"

"Welcome back, Yuune-san. Did you get taller?"

"Welcome back. That body of yours... don't tell me you stole Joestar's body...!"

"Sorry. Just give me a second."

Three high school girls and Akasaka Yuune had gathered at a family restaurant in northern Chiba Prefecture.

After a series of loud cracking and popping sounds echoed from the restroom, Yuune returned to the table.

"Sorry for the wait. I kind of lost myself for a moment there."

"Ah, youth."

"Nah, I feel like it's something different with her."

"You seem fine in the sunlight... so I guess you didn't become a vampire."

The four of them sat around the table, continuing their conversation while waiting for the food they had randomly ordered.

Just like normal high school girls.

"So, what's up, Prez? You suddenly said you had a 'part-time job' and then you were out of touch for a week."

"You already have a good idea, don't you? Seeing as you're so conspicuously holding open that article about Guild Master Yamashita."

Akasaka Yuune glanced at the magazine held by the girl with elf ears. The open page reported on the trouble that had occurred on Guild Master Yamashita's flight a few days ago.

"Everyone was fine. Zero fatalities. There's nothing more to say, is there?"

"Hmm. Well, it's not really our business, but there are two things I wanted to ask."

"What is it? And just so you know, there's almost nothing I can tell you."

"Prez."

The girl with her long hair in twin pigtails rested her head on her arms and looked up at Yuune.

She wore an innocent, lovely smile.

"So... did you have to kill anyone?"

A cold sweat trickled down Yuune's back.

It was as if the temperature in their immediate vicinity had dropped several degrees. The elf-eared girl was smiling like a saint, and the gray-haired girl looked disinterested, though her eyes were fixed on Yuune.

Feeling an indescribable pressure, she nevertheless stared back at the girl with the twin pigtails.

"No. Zero fatalities. I just told you that."

Akasaka Yuune hadn't killed a single person.

She couldn't speak for what might have happened to her opponents afterward—if someone else had targeted them—but her own hands were still clean.

Sensing this, the girl with the twin pigtails...

"I see. That's good."

...let out a genuinely relieved sigh and shifted from slumping on the table to resting her chin in her hands.

The pressure that had been lingering over their table vanished.

"Alright! Then today we're celebrating the Prez's return! It's on us, so order whatever you want!"

"Oh, really? In that case, I'll have all the parfaits on this page."

"That was a fast switch."

The gray-haired girl looked at Yuune with exasperation.

"Shut up, you three stooges. I've been craving Japanese sweets! Do you have any idea what it's like for a gorgeous high school girl to live on nothing but rations and supplements?!"

"Yuune-san, please never say that at school. Several people would break down crying."

"Dieting seems tough, huh?"

"Nah. I doubt anyone diets by eating military rations."

The girl with the twin pigtails chuckled as Yuune's pupils dilated while she stared at the menu on the table.

"But I'm glad. Glad you're still the same old Prez."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean? I'm not usually this obsessed with food."

"That's not what I meant... well, never mind."

"...Was it an order from your—from my dad?"

"Nope. Mr. Akasaka just said he 'trusted you.' This was our own decision."

"Yes! Papa would be so proud! I did it!"

"You didn't 'do' anything, though."

"That's not what I meant."

Yuune pumped her fist while the gray-haired girl made a deadpan, off-the-mark comment.

The twin-pigtails girl just laughed.

"I'm really glad. We were worried we might have to give you our 'first time.'"

"Hmph. A needless worry. As if I, the daughter of my—of my dad, would forget to hold back against opponents of that level."

"Why don't you just call him 'Papa' already?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about...!"

"She's hopelessly bad at being a spy when it comes to things like this."

"It's fine, it's just like the Prez! I like it!"

"Akasaka Yuune. You should be careful on moonless nights...!"

"I'm straight, thank you."

When the French fries they had ordered arrived, they paused their conversation to order parfaits and other things.

Afterward, they got up to go to the drink bar.

"Alright, I shall bestow upon the Prez my special Giganto Mix-Mix Deluxe...!"

"I respectfully decline. Give it to the fake saint over there."

"I'm sorry, but even I can't handle that."

"Oh, I forgot my wallet today. You guys can get the bill."

"How can you say that so shamelessly, you girl who had to repeat a year...!"

"My bad."

"Ahahahaha!"

The girls chattered loudly.

Amidst it all, Yuune thought to herself.

—These three morons are scarier. I have no idea what they're capable of.

Even if they had been laughing together a second ago, this trio would surely turn their weapons on an opponent without hesitation. Not because they felt nothing, but because their grief wouldn't slow them down.

Having gained experience on her journey from America to Japan, Yuune understood this instinctively.

Those who called themselves professionals were terrifying in their methods. Without the support of former ambassador Chris, Yuune wouldn't have been able to complete her 'mission.' No matter how powerful an Awakened Person was, they were still human. For experts in killing, there were countless ways to deal with them, with a few exceptions.

However, this trio was dangerous on a whole other level.

They would calmly do things a professional—no, a person with a normal thought process and ethics—would never do. And it wasn't out of desperation or recklessness, but a barbarity born from careful consideration.

They had their reason. But their equation for it was clearly skewed from the norm.

As Yuune was lost in thought, she realized the girl with the twin pigtails had stopped walking and was looking up at her.

"Prez... do you hate us now?"

Her face was anxious, like a child looking to its parent for approval.

Yuune roughly patted the head of her classmate, who was quite a bit shorter than her.

"It's not about like or hate, you idiot. It's business as usual, you little troublemaker."

"...Yeah!"

As her 'friend' returned to a beaming smile, Yuune gave a small snort.

"Papa said he might have to ask you guys for help with some things soon. Aside from that other job."

"...I see."

"But, you know."

Yuune jabbed her index finger onto her friend's forehead. A fearless grin spread across her face.

"If you guys screw up... I'll give you my 'first time.' My own decision."

"...I see. Thanks."

After a brief moment of surprise, the twin-pigtails girl laughed cheerfully.

"But that's a needless worry! We're just pure, proper, and slightly cute high school girls!"

"Whatever. Not like I want to fight you guys anyway."

"Hey, you two! I can't believe you're flirting when you should be coming over here! No more touching! It's for-bid-den!"

"Prez. A parting gift from me. Drink it with gratitude."

"Shut up, morons number two and three! And number three, what did you mix in this?"

"Green tea, coke, and oolong tea."

"Drink it yourself, you flat-chested repeater."

"Bringing up my chest is crossing a line, you know! And it's not like you're that big yourself!"

"I'm average. That is the absolute difference between you and me."

"Now, now. Please don't fight over something so trivial. It's unseemly."

"I'll crush you first."

"Don't think every night will be a moonlit one...!"

"Wait, is the hate directed at me now?"

"Ahahahahaha!!"

The girls continued to make a ruckus until a server came over to scold them.

They were just foolish students. That's who they were.

At least, as long as the world—or at least the world immediately around them—remained at peace.



"Is that information reliable?"

Yes.

In Kasumigaseki, Tokyo, at the Central Government Complex.

Akasaka Yuusuke was on the phone in a bathroom stall, speaking in a low voice.

He was talking to Chris Mackenzie, the former U.S. ambassador who had just returned to Japan with Yamashita's group.

My source was my former superior, from before I worked at the embassy. The information is highly credible.

"...Is there any chance it's a trap?"

We're looking into it on our end, but it seems to be genuine.

"...Understood."

He finished the hushed conversation and ended the call.

Then, Director Akasaka opened the calendar on his phone.

"I can't believe it... of all the days to choose."

Marked on it was a schedule known only to a handful of Dungeon Agency staff.

The date for the subjugation of the red and white dragons. And the day of the SDF's Otherworld Dispatch.

"President Fudge Valentine... what on earth are you planning?"

The day before that date, a U.S. military stealth aircraft was scheduled to take off.

Carrying the President of the United States—to 'Japan'.