Chapter 64: Demon Alcohol

We continued gathering information, but when evening came, we ate dinner at the set-meal restaurant on the first floor.

Even after everyone had taken a bath, we gathered in our room and kept searching.

“It’s true that the humans reclaimed Tokushima. There are a lot of people celebrating.”

There were posts about finally being able to return home and things like that.

“I looked into it too. One word keeps catching my attention: savior.”

Apparently, Kitaura-san had also been researching Tokushima.

“Savior?”

“What’s that about?”

Takamiya-san and Ayaka tilted their heads.

“Apparently, someone fought the demons in Tokushima alone. They’re calling that person the Savior.”

That must have been the one the imp at the Nagato hot spring had mentioned.

“Probably one of our classmates.”

“Most likely.”

“Hina, has anyone seen this Savior?”

Takamiya-san asked.

“Doesn’t look like it. But apparently, the Savior defeated the demon commander in Tokushima. No one knows where they are now. They’ve turned into some kind of mysterious hero.”

From the human side’s perspective, that made sense.

They really were a hero.

“We can’t dismiss the story as nonsense.”

“We’re planning to go to Shikoku, but… won’t it be dangerous?”

Ayaka asked.

I’d avoid it if we could, but…

“No, let’s go.”

“Yeah. We need to confirm what’s happening. Besides, this Savior disappeared, right? If they defeated the demons and moved on, then Kagawa or Okayama would be next.”

Takamiya-san, that was directly along our route…

“Hmm… Maybe we really should avoid it…”

Ayaka looked troubled.

“Let’s leave it undecided until we reunite with Riku. The situation keeps changing, after all.”

Good point, Kitaura-san.

“You’re right. Ayaka, has there been any response to that post?”

“None. It only has about ten views, and one zombie follower liked it.”

That wasn’t much.

Then again, she’d only created the account after we returned, so that was probably normal.

We only needed it to appear in a search. It didn’t have to go viral.

More importantly, she had a zombie follower…?

“Make sure your direct messages are open.”

“They are. I just hope I don’t get anything weird.”

“What is this zombie follower like?”

I was a little curious.

“She’s a teenage zombie girl from Hyogo. She has an incredible number of followers.”

A zombie influencer?

“Let me see.”

“Here.”

Ayaka showed me her phone.

The picture showed a bluish-pale girl in her teens striking a pose like a party animal.

“Huh… Why is she following you?”

“Who knows? She has a lot of followers, but she follows a lot of accounts too. Maybe that’s just what she does.”

As long as she had nothing to do with our classmates, it was fine.

“Why is your account name the Taka-Taka Alliance?”

Why me and Takamiya-san?

“Until a moment ago, it was a random string of numbers. I changed it to a phrase only we know.”

Oh. Right.

Now that she’d become “Ayaka Takanashi,” the meaning of the Taka-Taka Alliance had changed, though.

We continued searching social media. Shortly after ten, a knock echoed through the room.

“We’re back! If you aren’t busy making love, please open the door!”

That was Sis Linda.

We weren’t making love, so I immediately got up, opened the door, and let Sis Linda and Elvis inside.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Oh, I drank plenty. My whole body is burning up.”

Good for you…

“Welcome back, Elvis and Dirty-Joke Sis. Sit down.”

Takamiya-san and Kitaura-san rose and moved to the beds, letting Elvis and Dirty-Joke Sis take their seats at the table.

“Here, some water.”

My kind future wife handed water to both of them.

“Thanks.”

“Thank you. We thought Hamada had very few people, but there were quite a lot. Apparently, the fishing industry is thriving, so the bar district was lively.”

We hadn’t seen demons because they’d been out fishing.

“And what did you learn?”

Ayaka sat beside me and asked the two of them.

“Elvis-san, you may go first.”

“All right. I found information about Riku.”

Seriously?

“Someone saw him?”

“Better than that. I met a goblin who drove him close to Izumo this morning. Riku gave him mana in exchange for the ride.”

That was remarkably precise information.

“Then there’s no doubt Riku is in Izumo.”

“Right. After the goblin dropped him off nearby, he said he was going the rest of the way on foot.”

Izumo…

“What do you want to do? Shall we go after him now?”

Sis Linda asked.

“You’ve been drinking.”

“This much is nothing.”

No, no.

“We’ll go tomorrow.”

“Agreed.”

“Sis, don’t drink and drive.”

“I don’t want to die.”

Exactly.

“Very well. Then we’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

Please do.

“What did you learn, Linda-san?”

Ayaka asked.

“I asked about Shimane. As we thought, there doesn’t seem to be any fighting between humans and demons here. It should be easy to enter Izumo. I also confirmed a route we can take.”

That was good news.

Not only could we slip in easily, but Riku was also unlikely to be captured by the Self-Defense Forces.

“Let’s leave early tomorrow. If possible, I want to catch up with Riku before he enters the city.”

Finding him in a populated urban area would be much harder.

“Understood. Then we’ll depart at six tomorrow morning.”

Six o’clock…

“All right.”

We nodded, and everyone left for their own rooms.

“It looks like we’ll find him.”

“Yeah. We can’t relax yet, but I feel a little better.”

“Tomorrow is the day. Let’s sleep.”

That sounded good.

We climbed into bed and switched off the lights.

I closed my eyes, but I didn’t think sleep was going to come easily.

“Yuu-kun, are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I’m not very sleepy, but I’m sure I’ll drift off eventually.”

“Why don’t we have a drink?”

Hmm…

“I’ll run to a convenience store. One drink might help me sleep. You can stay here and rest.”

“No, I’ll come with you.”

Ayaka turned on the light and sat up, so I got up as well.

We put on jackets, left the room, and rode the elevator down to the first floor.

“Hmm? What’s the matter?”

The kobold at reception called out to us.

“We were thinking of going out to buy some alcohol.”

“Oh, alcohol. We sell it here. What would you like? Beer?”

Apparently, the front desk sold drinks.

Was that normal?

“Do you have an easy-to-drink chuhai or something? Beer is bitter.”

“Wait there.”

The kobold disappeared into the back, and we waited.

After a while, he returned carrying an unlabeled bottle, glasses, and a box of ice.

“That’s chuhai?”

I’d expected canned chuhai.

“It’s from the restaurant next door. It’s delicious.”

Interesting…

“We’ll take it.”

I paid the kobold in mana, took the drinking set, and returned to our room.

We placed everything on the table, sat on the beds, and toasted.

“Since we’re high school students at heart, this feels a little naughty.”

“A little.”

We each took a sip.

It had a citrus flavor, was easy to drink, and lacked alcohol’s distinctive harsh smell.

“Oh, this is good.”

“It really is. The alcohol we drank in the other world tasted strange. Maybe the drinks here are more refined.”

It was practically juice.

We kept drinking as we talked.

I was starting to feel warm, just as Sis Linda had said.

“Alcohol is still alcohol.”

“Yeah. I think I can sleep now.”

I was still worried about Riku, but I was becoming pleasantly drunk.

“That’s good. You seemed restless, Yuu-kun.”

“Sorry.”

“You can’t help it. We’re worried about Riku too.”

He was our friend.

“I’m really glad you’re with me, Ayaka.”

“You are?”

“Just having you here calms me down.”

“You really do like me, Yuu-kun… Here, I’ll hold your hand.”

Ayaka took my hand.

“Now my heart is pounding.”

“Yes, yes.”

Ayaka filled my glass, so I returned the favor, and we both took long drinks.

“This is delicious.”

“I’m starting to have fun.”

Both my mind and body felt light and floaty.

But what was this?

I was starting to feel as though I weren’t myself.

“Let’s finish a little more and then sleep.”

“All right.”

We continued drinking until the bottle was empty.