Chapter 75: Departure ★

“They held hands and walked out as though it were the most natural thing in the world…”

Sis stared at the door that had just closed.

“It’s the alcohol. Those two seriously can’t hold their liquor. Then they start flirting.”

“Yeah. It raises their spirits, and Ayaka gets much more physically affectionate.”

“They looked exactly like boyfriend and girlfriend…”

They really did.

“That makes last night suspicious too. They drank demon alcohol. Do you think they did it?”

Sis began grinning.

She really loved this kind of gossip.

“Really? Can’t you tell, Sis?”

She’d claimed she could before.

“They don’t have the scent of a man and woman who had sex, so they didn’t go that far. But they may have kissed. They were spouting nonsense about not remembering anything.”

Who knew?

“Takanashi-kun honestly looked like he couldn’t remember.”

“That seems likely for Yuu-san. But what about Ayaka-san?”

Hmm…

“Ayaka hides things…”

I looked to Hina for agreement.

“She does. Even if Ayaka got a boyfriend, she would never tell us.”

That sounded exactly like her.

“What’s demon alcohol?”

Riku asked Sis.

“Alcohol made by demons. It’s very strong. Those two drank it in Hamada, alone together in a hotel room… It was their prelude, followed by a burning finish.”

What was this woman talking about?

“Oh… Well, I hope it helped their relationship progress.”

So did we.

“It definitely did. They’d never held hands that naturally before.”

I hadn’t seen them do it either.

They’d even held hands in the car, so something had unquestionably changed.

“They only need one more push. Ayaka-san didn’t look opposed, and overdrive is close. Everyone, please watch over them warmly.”

She looked like she was having far too much fun…

Though Sis would be the first one to interfere.

◆◇◆

Ayaka and I walked beside the river.

“It’s beautiful… Those are cherry trees, so they probably illuminate the blossoms in season.”

That must be spectacular.

But it was May now. We’d have to wait almost a year.

“It must be gorgeous. I haven’t seen cherry blossoms in ten years.”

“You’re right. It’s amazing how everything is ‘for the first time in ten years.’”

There were many things I’d already forgotten.

Cherry blossoms hadn’t crossed my mind until Ayaka mentioned them. It felt as though I hadn’t even heard the word in a decade.

“One thing that hasn’t changed is having you and the others with me.”

“I suppose so. I hope that, at least, never changes. We can’t lose anyone else…”

We’d already lost friends.

“We won’t. We’ll find Minato and reach Tokyo together.”

“Yes… What will you do once we reach Tokyo?”

“Start a company, I suppose.”

“Is that all?”

Hmm… If possible…

“I’ve been thinking about all sorts of things, but I haven’t sorted them out yet.”

“I see. Whatever you decide, I’ll be with you.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

We continued along the river, but when the air grew chilly, we returned to the inn.

We rejoined the card game and enjoyed ourselves. Once it grew late, everyone returned to their own room, and we went to sleep.

The next morning, we woke a little late, enjoyed a morning bath, and ate breakfast in the dining hall.

“Everyone, I have some news.”

Sis Linda, who had been mixing her natto, replaced yesterday’s playful expression with a serious one.

“What happened?”

“Jack the Ripper appeared in Hagi.”

Seriously…?

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. The girl in Nagato contacted me.”

The succubus attendant…

“Why Hagi…?”

Even as I asked, I already had an idea and looked at Riku.

“Was he after me?”

“The fact that he moved from Hiroshima to Hagi…”

I could understand leaving Hiroshima because operating there had become difficult.

But why Hagi rather than Okayama or Shimonoseki?

“Linda-san, what happened in Hagi?”

Ayaka asked.

“He attacked several people at random, but they were already on alert, so a demon patrol found him quickly. He has been missing since.”

Dean, the boss there, had said he would prepare defenses.

“He’ll head either this way or toward Shimonoseki next.”

It was hard to imagine him returning to Hiroshima, leaving two possibilities.

He might come here.

In fact…

“He probably will. If he’s been gathering information, he’ll know that Riku and the rest of us came this way.”

“That is entirely possible. There is also a chance he’ll follow the reports of the spear-wielding man and head toward Kyushu, but…”

It wasn’t impossible.

“Let’s watch that direction too.”

“Agreed. It’s early, but we should leave now.”

That would be best.

“Very well. We’ll meet in the lobby after breakfast.”

“Understood.”

We quickly finished eating, returned to the room, and told Elvis what Sis Linda had learned.

“Hmm… No doubt about it. He’s after Riku.”

Elvis agreed.

“For his mana?”

“Yeah. I don’t know whether he recognizes Riku, but Riku is holding a staff in that photo. He probably decided Riku would be easy prey.”

A staff implied a Mage- or Healer-type Job.

Either way, if Jack the Ripper was a Rogue type, it was a bad matchup.

It wasn’t surprising that he’d think Riku would be easy to kill.

“He’d be easier than the Savior in Tokushima.”

That person was unquestionably strong.

“Right. The question is how he’ll react if he learns that other people are pursuing Riku.”

Meaning us.

“Will he think there are more prey, or decide our numbers make it too difficult?”

“Exactly. Either way, I agree we should leave quickly. Let’s go to Okayama.”

“Right.”

We hurriedly prepared, left the room, and headed for the lobby.

The women arrived almost immediately. We left the inn, climbed into the car, and departed as the attendant saw us off.