Volume 4 -A Chapter 10 (1/2)
2:29 PM
A shopping district known as Europe Town existed near the shi+nsaibashi+ district of Osaka
Several dozen shops were densely packed in between two short roads It was primarily made up of boutiques and cafes, so it acted as a contrast to the northern business district The stores were filled with people and bright colors
Two people stood on the second floor of a certain brick building there
One was a boy in a suit and the other was a girl in rough personal clothes
They were Ikemaru Takahiro and Aoi Hijiri
The two of theerie shop
Colorful underas displayed half-disorderly and half-orderly under the white lights of the store that was larger than it looked from the outside
Since it was only early afternoon, the store was relatively empty and most of the customers omen, but there was also an older couple
When she saw that couple, Aoi gently elbowed Ikemaru in the side
”That ”
”Why do you say that?”
”They're using separate wallets …So what do you think about this color?”
”I think it would look great on you”
”Then what about this color?”
”I think it would look great on you”
”Then what about this risqué one?”
”It would not suit you in the slightest”
”You have some pretty solid preferences, Takahiro”
”I prefer to keep soination”
”Yeah, but I'ination…”
Aoi looked to Takahiro's suit
Aout from below the scarf she had made
”Will that idiot Hisahide really be okay with those docuht?”
”We are in trouble if he isn't Hacking into the govern by near Ixolde and we only have the three Discord Bombs”
”So we have to knohere to set the Discord Bo on others a lot on this expedition”
”I would prefer to obtain a lotthe charms is not easy either”
”You put a lot of effort into this That's an information broker for you”
”I prefer to be called a businessman”
Aoi smiled bitterly
”It's true you ht not be an inforure out where Seigi is”
”It hasn't been easy”
”Hisahide's upset After all, Seigi was the first person to agree that he would beco”
Aoi lightly tapped the underearingnext to her
With a small sound, the plastic body shook a little
”The king, hm?”
”Personally, ”
”We're having trouble finding that too, aren't we?”
”Not even the Live laboratory I hacked into said anything about cherry blosso in the winter”
Takahiro looked to his own right hand
He wore a black leather glove and the gaze behind his glasses was cold
But…
”Don't worry about it Even the power of your kotodain with”
”Even without the data, I could still alter the Lives of the cherry blosso God”
”Altering the Lives of organic objects takes a lot out of you, right? Seigi told me”
”Besides, I doubt the cherry blosso to do with Lives Maybe you could call it an unusual phenoht conditions That's what I think it was”
”In that case, on't find anything written about it at the sightseeing spots”
”Iba isn't going to tell us, so we need to be patient Maybe look through some of Osaka's historical records …And if we can help Hisahide rejoin the east and west, finding the cherry blossoms will be a lot easier”
”You sure are positive”
”Being negative is pretty attractive too Like Seigi used to be I was jealous that she could treree, Takahiro?”
”Being able to tremble in your indecisiveness is the ultimate luxury”
”I used to be like that Until that e Style was created”
She sighed and fell silent
Meanwhile, Ikelove
As soon as he lightly shook his white hand, a single copper coin appeared between his index and er
He placed the dull brown coin in his palm and showed it to Aoi
”Flower”
As soon as he spoke that quiet word, the coin split open with a soundice
It did not just break in half The surface peeled away like a skin, split apart, and extended outwards and upwards It al flower bud
The small coin produced thin flower petals
After a mere five seconds, a red copper flower had formed in his palm
It resembled a cherry blossom and Aoi commented on it
”A Tune Bust transformation… That was your Word Master poasn't it?”
”I can read all Lives and freely change the Live structure of anything I speak to while touching it with my skin …It is a useful power”
”Didn't you used to call it an unpleasant power?”
”Not to worry I now have someone who can reject my power”
”Then is this flower for the one person in the world you knoill be fine touching it with her bare hands?”
”Yes”
Aoi smiled, narrowed her eyes, and tilted her head
”Are you trying to cheer me up because I fell silent like that?”
”Do you not want this flower?”
”It only cost ten yen, didn't it?”
”Only I can make one”
”Then I'll take it”
When she accepted, Ikemaru placed the metal flower in the breast pocket of her blouson And…
”Sorry, Takahiro I have been kind of gloomy lately”
”Didn't you just say being negative is attractive?”
”I got that line from my mom”
”But it's true”
”Then…why did you save Seigi? You were the one that saved her fro God put you in the hospital for three days”
”I will answer that…when the tiht”
It was a vague response, but Aoi thought about it and nodded
She then looked away from him
”Oh?” she said after looking out the
”What is it?” he asked
”This is convenient There's the person ere thinking about speaking with at the hotel”
The two of the the sidewalk
Her ponytail and giant false left arnizable
It was Nagoya Chancellor Yamashi+ta Taeko
”She must be on the way to Prefectural 2 Probably to wait for Ixolde's activation”
”If we're going to stop her, noould be the tioya won't side with us unless we get her on our side”
”Then let's stop her before she ht, but first…”
”But first?”
Ikeave Aoi a serious look
”You need to buy a bra and put it on You will probably have difficulty fighting without the proper support”
Aoi forcefully elbowed him in the side
2:34 PM
Taeko walked through the streets of Osaka
Walking from the hotel in front of Osaka Station to Prefectural 2 on the southern edge of the Chuo Ward took about half an hour, but it took closer to two hours when leisurelyshopping along the way
She was taking so around the southern streets near Nanba Station
”Ixolde's activation isn't until seven anyway”
The watch on her right arm said it was only 2:35 Not even ten minutes had passed since she had parted ith Saki at Osaka Station
She had spent the tioods store that doubled as a weapons store
Osaka was hooya and it had plenty of nice weapons
The cold war that had triggered the split between east and west had created plenty of suspicion which in turn had led to the development of weapons and a system to provide therown, the level of weaponry and prosthetics had also grown and the mass production abilities of multinational corporations supported the dissemination of those advancements
But while some weapons and prosthetics had continued to advance and were now treated just like sporting goods, there were sons that still focused on destructive power
The Eighth Dragon Emperor that took the place of Taeko's left arm was one of those
It was a special false aristration license plate attached
She touched the Dragon Emperor and faced forward
She saw the sho of a boutique much like the others in this southern area
Beyond the large pane of glass, fourthe same suit in different colors
She silently touched the Dragon Eht hand
—Taeko - Sight Tech - Auto-Take - Visually Detect - Hit
She looked into the store beyond the mannequins
She saw soreen sailor uniforms
They see cereroup of five held a somewhat mature aura around them as they calmly and patiently perused the lipstick section
When Taeko noticed herself watching them, she looked away
When she turned her eyes from the boutique, she turned to the left
She then started walking
Following the road fro district would take her to Prefectural 2 in about ten minutes
She walked a few steps
—Taeko - Sight Tech - Auto-Take - Spot - Hit
”Huh? …Shoui! What are ya doin'!?”
Her voice immediately reached the boy as he walked down the road, so he stopped and turned back
There was a girl next to him
—Taeko - Person Tech - Take - Identify Person - Hit
Taeko did not recognize the girl
She tilted her head and stopped in front of Shoui
”What are ya doin' in a place like this?”
”Hm? Well, just a little bit of socialization”
Taeko noticed so odd about his answer
His , yet she heard his voice
She frowned and peered at his face
”…? Shoui?”
”Wh-why are you staring at me like that?”
”When did you learn ventrilo-…?”
Before she could say ”quism”, a mouse-like creature poked its head out from his collar
The animal opened its mouth and spoke in his voice
”Oh, sorry …I guess I didn't mention it, but I'm stuck like this for a while”
”…Eh?”
”You can tell this guy's talking for ht?”
”Wait a second”
Taeko reached her right hand out toward the creature
When it saw her approaching hand, it gave a cry of warning that sounded like tearing silk
It bared surprisingly sharp fangs as it did so
She pulled her hand back and the girl next to Shoui spoke withouther lips either
”You can't do that He doesn't like people who aren't indecisive”
”Indecisive? What's this creature and who's this girl, Shoui?”
Taeko looked to the girl ore a stole
The innocent-looking girl had an identical creature on her shoulder
Shoui scratched his head and the creature at his collar spoke
”I can't believe this How am I supposed to explain it?”
”I don't understand any of this, Shoui”
”I'm still not used to it myself, to be honest Anyway, my throat was crushed”
”Yer throat?”
”Yes See these bandages? I took a kick to the neck”
”Oh, I thought ya'd slit yer throat or souess not”
”You say sos sometimes”
Shoui smiled bitterly and used his thu its head out from his collar
”She's lettingGod and he reads and speaks people's thoughts”
”…That's pretty weird”
”Agreed …But anyway, I' her”
”I see,” said Taeko with a slight nod
She had avoided theon the two of theirl
”Miss, don't ya have school?” she asked
”No I came to this city on a trip”
Taeko scratched her head at the answer
She looked to Shoui and gave an exasperated sigh
”Ya do know Shoui's busy right now, don't ya?”
”Yes, I read his kotodama”
”His kotodama?”
”I read it mouth-to-mouth”
When she heard that, Taeko punched Shoui with the Dragon Emperor's fist
He was knocked flat onto the brick sidewalk, but he quickly hopped back up
”~! Wh-as that for!?”
”Ah?”
—Taeko - Mind Tech - Take - Emit Killer Intent - Hit
”Ya spent so otten all about her and are kissin' soirl?”
”It wasn't really a ki-…o, o! P-please, not the gut!”
”Shut up, ya moron”
”Wait! U!”
”Oh, right U”
”That isn't helping!”
”I see Then it's time ya died, Shoui”
Takada placed a hand on Taeko's ar Shoui's collar
”Please wait”
During a pause, Taeko looked down at Takada in silence
Her gaze was sharp, but Takada received it without fear
”What is it?” quietly asked Taeko
”I know perfectly well that there is a girl who needs to be by Shoui-san's side”
”You know that too, right?”
Her confident tone settled everything
Taeko finally let go of Shoui's collar while also shoving him away
”Ahh,” he sighed ”That was scary”
”Ya really are a moron”
”Wh-why?”
”If ya don't restrain her properly, I'll kill her!”
Taeko looked to Shoui and saw his expression change at the word ”kill”
It shi+fted from peaceful to tense
His body did not htest, but an aura filled with power left it
The Dog God put that aura to words
”Don't do that”
”Then ya'd better hurry up and restrain her! The only reason I didn't kill her was because ya were there for her Ya haven't forgotten that, have ya?”
He said nothing, but the creature at his collar did
”I haven't forgotten, but… Wait, don't say that, you idiot!”
”I don't otten, but what?”
”Please wait!”
The girl stood in front of Shoui and looked up at Taeko
”Don't use Tarohts! It isn't natural!”
”Isn't havin' everythin' out in the open for the best?”
”No No s to hiht happen, no one but him can make up his mind for him”
The girl spoke in a strong, clear tone, so Taeko looked down at her
But the girl once aze and did not fall back
She wrinkled her brow and a look of seriousness rather than anger filled her innocent face
—Taeko - Mind Tech - Take - Decode Expression - Hit
Taeko closed her eyes and sighed toward the ground
”It's no use”
”What is?”
”No uy will never leave that girl's side”
”That's why I want to see what he does,” said the girl
The seriousness on her face was replaced by a slight smile
Her expressions seee a lot and Taeko also smiled
”All the girls by his side are too clever for their own good”
”So are you, aren't you?”
Taeko turned to Shoui
”Am I by yer side?”
”You're definitely close enough to grab my collar”
”That's fine then”
—Taeko - Box Tech - Take - Backhand Blow - Hit!
Unable to react to the sudden attack by the Dragon Eround
”O! Wh-as that for!?”
”It's yer punishet another one”
”You two see well”
”How!?” / ”How!?”
Their slight difference in intonation allowed their voices to harmonize perfectly
Takada s God
Shoui and Taeko exchanged a glance when they saw it
A moment later…
—Shoui - Mind Tech - Auto-Take - Detect Killer Intent - Hit
”Boss”
—Taeko - Mind Tech - Take - Detect Killer Intent - Hit
”Yeah”
”Hm? What is it, you two?”
—Shoui - Hear Tech - Take - Measure Distance - Hit