Chapter 76: Toward the Prefectural Border

After leaving the hot-spring district, we followed country roads and mountain roads while Riku navigated from the passenger seat.

We divided the work, searching social media for information about Jack the Ripper and researching routes to Okayama.

“He’s already trending.”

“Not only demons, but humans know about Jack the Ripper now. A lot of them are cheering him on.”

Takamiya-san and Kitaura-san, who had been researching him, filled us in.

“Jack the Ripper isn’t necessarily an ally of humanity…”

Ayaka was probably right.

Before this, it hadn’t been impossible that he was some kind of vigilante, but targeting Riku had settled the matter.

“Humans simply have less mana.”

If ordinary humans possessed mana, then in a world like this, he might attack them too.

“What about your side?”

Takamiya-san asked.

Ayaka and I were researching routes.

“There are plenty, so we’ll manage. Some of them are barely roads, though.”

Several looked as though they were only technically paved.

“We’ll walk those sections. This vehicle is too large.”

It was a minivan roomy enough for all six of us.

“Riku, use this route. I think the car can make it this far.”

I showed him my phone.

“Got it. Linda-san, continue along this road for now.”

“Understood.”

Sis Linda drove deeper into the mountains.

About an hour later, we reached a settlement filled with prefabricated buildings. There were clearly far more people than a town of that size should have held.

“People who used to live in Hiroshima or Okayama…”

“It looks like it…”

We’d heard there were many evacuees near the prefectural border, but the number of temporary homes was still startling.

“Linda-san, I think we should start avoiding major roads.”

“You’re right… What shall we do?”

“Turn left at the next intersection.”

“Understood.”

Sis Linda did so, and under Riku’s guidance, we eventually entered another mountain road.

“We’re almost in Okayama Prefecture. How far should we drive?”

Riku asked Sis Linda.

“Okayama is demon territory, but to be precise, humans still control the northern mountain region. We could probably continue, but to be safe, let’s proceed on foot from here.”

Sis Linda stopped the car.

“Walking, huh?”

“That’s fine.”

We got out.

“Yuu-san, please take care of the car.”

“All right.”

I touched it and used spatial magic.

The entire vehicle vanished in an instant.

“Splendid.”

I’d been slightly nervous, but it worked.

“Thanks. We follow this road from here?”

“Yes. If we keep going, we’ll reach a small settlement. Given its location, there are probably neither humans nor demons there. We’ll wait until night.”

The map showed a walk of roughly three hours.

That was far, but after walking from Kumamoto, it didn’t feel like much.

“Understood. Let’s go.”

We set out along the mountain road.

“Ayaka, I’ll watch the rear. You take the front.”

“Got it. Everyone, if Mayumi or I warn you about a vehicle, hide immediately.”

Ayaka and Takamiya-san, who possessed Presence Detection, took the lead and rear positions.

Naturally, I stayed near Ayaka and checked the map as we walked.

“Having everyone together makes this much more reassuring.”

Riku, who had walked the mountain roads of Shimane alone, muttered that.

“No doubt. I walked from Kumamoto too, but I was glad Ayaka and Elvis were there.”

“Walking that route alone would’ve been brutal.”

“I didn’t walk then, and I’m not walking now.”

True.

We walked along the unchanging road for about an hour.

“Hmm? Ah, one’s coming! Hide!”

At Takamiya-san’s shout, we hurried off the road and concealed ourselves in the bushes.

A camouflage-painted vehicle drove past.

“The Self-Defense Forces.”

“The same type we saw before. They’re patrolling this area after all.”

According to the map, we were close to Okayama.

“We’ll probably encounter more. Being found would cause trouble, so let’s proceed carefully.”

“Agreed.”

We returned to the road and continued, but Self-Defense Forces vehicles approached from ahead or behind about every ten minutes. Each time, we hid and let them pass.

“Aren’t there a lot?”

Ayaka asked after another vehicle drove by.

“There are. This is nothing like Kumamoto. They’re not about to start a war, are they?”

“It wouldn’t be surprising… but that would be troublesome.”

Please spare us.

“Traveling at night does seem best. Everyone, the settlement is close. We’ll wait there until dark, so please keep going a little longer.”

Sis Linda encouraged us, and we resumed walking.

Several more vehicles passed, but we successfully avoided them. At last, a settlement appeared ahead.

“We made it.”

“Yes. I don’t sense anyone.”

Another ghost town.

“Let’s enter an empty house away from the main road.”

We turned into a residential area and searched for an inconspicuous house.

We found one tucked away behind several turns and approached the door.

“Naturally, it’s locked. Elvis, please.”

“Sure.”

Elvis climbed out of my pocket, landed on the ground, and returned to his normal size.

Then he cut the lock with the blade of light he’d used before.

“You’re getting practiced at that…”

“So the Beppu group were the burglars.”

Takamiya-san and Kitaura-san sounded exasperated.

“And you’re the gamblers? Never mind that. Let’s get inside.”

We quickly entered.

Large furniture such as dressers remained, but almost everything else was gone, and there were no signs anyone had visited recently.

“We’ll wait here until night. Let’s rest.”

We laid the rugs and cushions we’d bought over the living-room floor, set out a table, and settled down for a break.