36: Our Goals
I had closed all the curtains when Aira came over, in case Enka decided to peek in the window.
“Summer vacation starts tomorrow, huh…”
I checked the calendar as soon as I woke up.
Today was the last day of school. I’d be free until September.
I’m usually a morning person. My brain clears up within a minute of waking up, and I can analyze my situation calmly.
Aira was still asleep, curled up in Ryugo’s arms.
“Wake up, it’s morning.”
I shook her, but she just blinked happily and didn’t wake up.
Ugh.
But I couldn’t just leave her there.
I learned how to deal with this on a school trip when I was in junior high.
“Here goes nothing.”
He pinched Iroha’s nose.
“Hmph…”
She grimaced as if struggling to breathe, then opened her eyes with a snap and sat up.
“What are you doing?!”
“You were sleeping forever, idiot. This is someone else’s house, you know.”
“I’ll fix my hair, so go on ahead!”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Leaving Iroha with her hair a mess, he left the room.
As he entered the living room, a delicious smell wafted through the air. His mother was in the middle of cooking. His father was helping her while tying his necktie in his spare moments.
“Good morning, Ryugo.”
“Good morning, Dad. Mom.”
They were watching the morning news, but there was no report about yesterday’s incident.
Despite the number of people injured in that brawl, the Enka soldiers were civilians who didn’t know any better. He had thought someone would find it suspicious and call it in…
Well, this is better for us.
It would be a pain if the police got involved.
Despite having a girl stay overnight, his parents didn’t show much reaction.
For better or worse, they were the type who didn’t interfere with their son’s actions.
Of course, when he got home late after visiting Iroha’s house before, he was grilled with “Where did you go without telling us until so late at night?”
Breakfast was bacon and eggs.
As he sat down at the table,
“Good morning, sir. Ma’am.”
Iroha came over, acting as prim and proper as a noble’s daughter.
Apparently, she had been acting like this around his parents since last night.
He had heard the expression “putting on an act,” but this was the first time he had ever seen it in person.
Even though she had just woken up, she had fixed her hair and put on light makeup.
“I apologize for last night. Asking to stay over so suddenly must have been an imposition…”
As Iroha hung her head with a mournful look, his mother hurriedly waved her hands.
“Oh, it’s fine, Iroha-chan! After all, we help each other out when we’re in trouble, right?”
“Thank you so much… It’s been years since anyone has been this kind to me…”
Iroha theatrically wiped away tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes with her finger.
What acting skills. Maybe she really should become a celebrity.
Noticing Ryugo’s cold stare, Iroha stuck out her tongue playfully, making sure his parents couldn’t see.
“Here, Iroha-chan. Have some breakfast.”
“Yes. Thank you for the food.”
Iroha ate her breakfast elegantly, with perfect manners.
If you only looked at her now, she could rival any young lady.
It was enough to make you forget how weird it was that her hair was pinkish.
His father repeated in admiration.
“It makes us feel better to know that Ryugo has such a well-mannered friend.”
“Oh, no… I’m still not good enough.”
“You’re so mature for being humble. Speaking of which, there was another polite girl who came to the house before. I think her name was Madoka.”
CLATTER
A sudden high-pitched noise echoed through the room, and Ryugo was so surprised that he choked on the bacon he was eating.
He managed to swallow it just before he suffocated and took a sip of tea to catch his breath.
He looked beside him and saw Aira slamming the tip of her fork into her plate with a fierce expression.
She must have snapped the moment she heard Madoka’s name.
A chill ran down his spine, and he felt the urge to flee the scene immediately.
His parents were stunned.
Aira made no attempt to hide her feelings and spoke in a voice that seemed to come from the depths of hell.
“…I’m sorry… I remember something unpleasant that happened yesterday… and my hand just…”
“I-Is that so…”
“Did… Madoka-san… really come to this house?”
“Y-Yes… that’s right. Isn’t that right, Father?”
“Oh… yes, that’s right. It was a few months ago.”
“Is that so?”
Aira finished the last of her food and picked up her toothbrush and toothpaste. “May I use the bathroom?” she asked.
Her parents nodded in agreement, and she thanked them before leaving the table.
I need to resolve her mother issue quickly.
Otherwise, she’ll never stop being a freeloader.
She might even take over the house.
Ryugo felt uneasy as he got ready.
◇
On the way to high school, Ryugo tried to keep as much distance from Aira as possible. He didn’t know what people would think if they were seen together.
He left the house before his nagging girlfriend and walked for about ten minutes.
As he reached the school and was about to enter the school gate,
“Hey! Raccoon!!”
Makoto inspired at him from behind.
Ryugo turned around and saw him pointing a finger at his nose.
“You brainwashed me!”
“Brainwashing is written as ‘brainwashing’. So, I guess the sauna purified you. But it seems you got dirty again in just one day.”
“That’s a load of crap… and why are you coming to school at the same time as Aira? She’s usually much later.”
“She came to my house yesterday…”
“Huh?”
Makoto made a surprised sound, and Aira gave him a defiant smile.
“What? Are you regretting breaking up with me now?”
“No, not at all.”
“Whaaat!?”
It seemed that Makoto had finally broken free from Aira’s spell. He had a refreshing expression on his face, unlike before.
Was it because he had given up on his dream after losing his finger?
No, I shouldn’t be happy about such a negative event.
“But you seem to be in good spirits.”
“Well, thanks to the sauna, my mind is somewhat clear… But what are you going to do about Enka?”
“Apparently, she’s obsessed with me and wants to make me her ideal hero.”
Her affection level was abnormally high when I checked.
Despite having barely spent any time together, it’s even higher than with Misato, who was apparently her best friend. The only explanation I can think of is that she’s gone crazy.
“So, she’ll come after me again eventually.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“No.”
“Honestly, Enka’s methods are abnormal. I don’t want to get involved in something like that, even if you’re the only one getting hurt. End it quickly, somewhere where I’m not involved.”
“I would have said the same thing if I were you. But if we start fighting over our phones, there will be casualties. I don’t want to do something as horrible as manipulating innocent people into fighting…”
There have been no clear fatalities so far, but if we leave things as they are, someone will die before long.
In the first place, she has a history of trying to kill a young man who was driving while distracted, using her car. That was clearly an attempt to murder.
The fact that he survived was just a matter of luck.
She has long since crossed the line of human decency.
I have to put an end to this.
◇
The last homeroom of the first semester ends, and Enka gives the command, “Stand up, bow!” Then, class is dismissed.
The students, having earned a long break of one month, leave the classroom with bright smiles. In contrast, Ryugo is in a gloomy mood, heavy enough to make him sigh.
Amidst the hustle and bustle from inside and outside the school,
“…”
Despite everything that happened yesterday, Enka comes to school with a carefree expression.
Neither of us can afford to fight here.
Makoto and the others were glaring over, but Ryugo waved his hand, signaling them to leave the classroom.
Misato looked frustrated, but she reluctantly followed suit after seeing Enka nod.
From Noble mtl dot com
To be honest, Enka scares me.
Even though it turned out that she didn’t actually kill anyone, the sight and the emotions from that time are deeply ingrained in my brain.
“Good morning, Raccoon-kun.”
Ryugo’s alertness increased. Her attitude was the same as before she knew the truth.
“Are you going to fight?”
“Hmm, what should I do? To be honest, I think the main point of this game is to use the app to uncover your opponent’s identity first and then secretly destroy their app. Because it can’t have been assumed that both of our identities would be revealed and the situation would continue like this.”
That’s true.
If I had found my opponent first, I would have destroyed their app without revealing myself, and that would have been the end of it.
From what the Bunnies said, they must have assumed a story where the hypnosis app exposes desires, and the one who reveals too much loses.
“That’s why I don’t want to have a confrontation. Because the difference in our levels is too great. If I were serious, Raccoon-kun, you would have lost a long time ago.”
But she doesn’t finish me off.
The reason is that Enka wants to be defeated fairly.
Since she calls herself a villain and me a hero, there can’t be any other explanation.
However, if I just give up and lose, it won’t result in the birth of the hero that Enka envisions.
So…
“Follow me to my house. We need to discuss our ultimate goals and non-negotiables. Otherwise, this pointless battle will just continue. There may be areas where we can compromise. Let’s settle this after that.”
“Sure, let’s talk as much as we want today.”
Despite those gentle words, Madoka had a defiant smile on her face.
Arisu made a sullen face at me, but that could wait. If we started dealing with that, we’d have to put up with Madoka interfering.
When I got home from school, my parents still hadn’t returned.
As I took off my shoes in the entryway, Madoka said, “Excuse me,” and greeted me politely.
“No one’s home.”
“But Tanuki-kun is here.”
I invited Madoka into the room and we sat facing each other at the kotatsu.
As I recall, I’d let her into my house several times before. But that was because she had cast a ‘friend’ spell on me.
“…”
Now we were on completely opposite sides.
I could still clearly remember how Madoka had acted so charmingly toward my parents.
When my mother had asked her, “Are you Ryu-kun’s girlfriend?”, she had smiled as if she didn’t mind. I hadn’t been mistaken about that.
“Would you like a snack?”
“No, thank you.”
“Something to drink?”
I asked as I opened the mini-fridge in the corner of the room. Even though I knew she was an enemy, was I being kind to her because I still liked her? Or was it because I didn’t feel any hostility from her at all?
Madoka leaned forward as she sat and looked inside.
“Hmm, I’ll have an oolong tea.”
“Here you go.”
I tossed her the plastic bottle of tea, and Madoka, who must have been thirsty, drank half of it in one go.
She seemed a little too eager to drink, considering how thirsty she was. Was she nervous?
“Phew… Hey, Tanuki-kun,”
Madoka asked as she screwed the cap back on the bottle.
“You said ‘no one’s home’ earlier, but that was a lie, right?”
Her gaze moved to the door.
“Kouki-kun is waiting outside the door.”
“How did you know?”
Madoka pushed her hair back and revealed her right ear.
She was wearing a wireless earpiece, and it was obvious that she was getting information from an outside accomplice.
Anticipating that Madoka might break into the house and do something bad, I had given Kouki a spare key in case of an emergency.
But I hadn’t called Kouki.
That’s because I hadn’t thought I’d be able to talk to Madoka face-to-face.
That bastard, he had been talking as if he knew what I was up to before, but could it be that he had planted a bug or something?
It was a little scary.
But if he had misunderstood, I might as well go along with it.
“Did you have someone watching outside?”
“Misato-chan is outside. She saw Kouki-kun from the hallway window.”
“You’re not getting away.”
“As expected of you, Tanuki-kun. After all, I recognize him as a hero.”
She wore a proud smile, but it was completely off the mark.