Volume 1 Chapter 5 (2/2)
”Got it-ho[1]!”
”Understood-ho, Ane-san!”
Two small shadows appeared from the hole
”Wh-what's that!?”
”Ha-haniwa?[2]”
”Ho~”
”Hoho~”
They were two haniwa about 30 centi With s forces to carry a golden glowing lump of metal
”Hey!”
”Ho~”
”Hey!”
”Ho~”
The tere letting out strange voices as they carried the lump of metal towards the stunned Koutarou and Sanae
”Soooo cuuuteee!”
”Wh-what are they!?”
”There is no need to be surprised These two are my servants They are similar to the machine dolls your people use”
”Ho-! I'm Karama-ho!”
”hello-ho! I'm Korama!”
Putting down the metal lump in front of Koutarou, the taved cheerfully
”To think these are robots”
”hello, Karama-chan, Korama-chan!”
Koutarou and Sanae were shocked
If Kiriha's words we're to be trusted, these tere robots
However, nothing about them seemed mechanical
Even though their bodies looked like pottery, their limbs moved freely
In contrast to their lovely appearance, they hly advanced techniques
Sanae had her heart stolen by the cute robots
”If Mackenzie saw this he ht cry out in joy”
”Koutarou, Sanae That lu it, soh I doubt that will lower its value If you vacate this room, ill offer you this in return”
”Th-this is a remarkable amount, Kiriha-san!”
When told the ain
Gold is worth a few thousand yen per gram, and there must have been at least 10 kilos of it
Which old would be worth several tens of millions of yen
It was an abnor out of the apartment
”This is just to prove how serious we are If this causes you any inconvenience, we can exchange it to japanese yen How about it? Would you be willing to relinquish this room to us?”
”So !? No way! There's just no way! This istoo!”
”Hmmm”
Sanae flat out refused, but on the other hand, Koutarou had his arht
”Hey! What are you thinking for!?”
”Well, hearing her circu to cooperate with her”
”Koutarou!? Are you sure!?”
Hearing Koutarou's response, Kiriha's expression lit up and she stood
The adorn noises
Like the old
”Not just her breasts, but you've lost sight of yourself over money as well!?”
”You're wrong! I can't accept this amount! Well, if I move, I'll need so it would be pointless”
”That is ithin your rights”
”When I told you to get out you refused! Why are you listening to this big-breasted woreat!?”
”Don't treatwith her because her motive and attitude are reasonable!”
”What's up with that!?”
At this point Koutarou felt that it ht be okay to cooperate with Kiriha
She was very polite, and had explained her reasons clearly
She had also said she would prepare necessary co
And her reasons for wanting the room were completely sound
Rebuilding an altar to worshi+p their ancestors, which was sirave or a Buddhist altar
Koutarou had no reason to refuse someone who only wished to honor their ancestors
”Sanae, you probably want to stay in this room, but can't you compromise somehow? Even if you remain here, an altar wouldn't be an inconvenience, would it?”
”Th-that's Well, it wouldn't be inconvenience, but”
Sanae peeked at Kiriha's face
Sanae had no reason to hate her, other than her big breasts
Therefore, Sanae's feelings began gradually changing due to Koutarou's persuasion
”So forgive her, will you? Unlike Yurika, it's not like she wants to hold a cosplay party”
”I got it I'll hold it in”
And Sanae finally gave in
”Oh! So you'll agree! Koutarou, Sanae!”
Kiriha's expression brightened further
”Yes”
”I don't really like it, but I have no choice Circued”
Sanae was going to coexist with the altar
”Thank you, both of you! With this, we'll be able to ht away!”
”Phase Two?”
”What's that?”
Koutarou and Sanae both tilted their heads in confusion after hearing Kiriha's words
”The surface invasion operation Once we activate the altar, we'll be able to gather large ay! And with that, we'll be able to mass produce spiritual weapons like Karama and Korama!”
”WH-WHAAAT!?”
”A SURFACE INVASION!?”
”Of course There is no need to worry; you two benefactors will be treated as guests There is absolutely nothing to worry about”
Kiriha had interpreted Koutarou and Sanae's surprise as worry over ould happen to them Of course, that was not the actual reason behind their surprise
”Wa-wait just a moment! So what!? You want to rebuild the altar where your ancestors have been enshrined to so you can invade the surface!?”
”That's right What's wrong all of a sudden, Koutarou?”
Surprised by Koutarou's unexpected reaction, Kiriha looked at him in amazement and blinked
”No 'whats' or 'whys'! I take it all back! I'll never hand the room over to you!”
”Well said, Koutarou!”
”Koutarou!? What now all of a sudden? You were being so cooperative just a o!”
”I flat out refuse! I can't shoulder the responsibility of letting a surface invasion happen!”
Looking at Karama and Korama, even Koutarou, as a novice at science could understand
Making sohly advanced techniques
If those kinds of people invaded the surface, who knehat they could do
He didn't even want to iine it
”I thought you were at least reasonable! But to think you would just casually say so so ridiculous!”
”I see For you to resist that much Well, I have another plan”
”What!? Are you gonna use force!?”
”Well, who knows”
Kiriha did not so ed face before her Instead, her lips formed a suspicious smile
”Koutarou, the red bottle in the seasoning box is the salt, right?”
”Yeah”
”So it was this after all”
Koutarou was cutting up cabbage for dinner
Next to hi an apron
She was dexterously stirring the frying-pan while shaking the salt inside the small red bottle
”Koutarou, would you prefer it to be heavily salted or just lightly?”
”I would prefer it heavily”
”Heavily salted things are bad for your health Let's start gradually decreasing the a on your own, so you need to take care of yourself”
Kiriha gently s-pan
She was in the etables
The cabbage Koutarou was cutting up was soon going to be added as well
Moreover, the rice cooker was occupied in the inner room
Kiriha had washed the rice a little while ago
Koutarou's dinner for today consisted of rice, soetables
”Koutarou, are you done with the cabbage?”
”Ye-yeah”
”In that case, please add it in”
Kiriha lowered the flames and beckoned Koutarou
”I didn't think you could cook, Koutarou”
”My oldon his own, so”
Koutarou threw the cabbage into the frying pan, and as the reethat, Koutarou began feeling nostalgic
How long has it been since I last stood next to someone in the kitchen?
What had crossed Koutarou'snext to his mother in the kitchen
She would always have a gentle smile on her face, just like Kiriha
”Koutarou, next tie, make sure you cut it thinner It'll be hard for you to eat it like this”
”Yeah”
With the i mother in his head, Kiriha's smile proved to be very effective, and Koutarou obediently nodded his head
”Koutarou, prepare the plate It'll be done soon”
”Yeah”
Koutarou nodded once more and reached towards the shelf
The sound of the frying-pan and tableware being placed filled the room
The sounds continued for a while longer before Kiriha stopped the flames
And she then casually called out to Koutarou while s
”Koutarou, is the plate ready?”
”It's ready”
”Is the rice boiled?”
”In another two minutes”
”I see Koutarou, will you relinquish this room?”
”I wi - ”
Due the natural and casual way Kiriha asked hireed instinctively
”Of course I won't!”
”I see That is regrettable”
She mentioned it casually, as if it was a completely normal conversation
She had skillfully and casually , and Koutarou had been close to agreeing several times
”I won't fall for those kind of tricks!”
”You're quite a tough opponent, Koutarou”
Although Kiriha had failed several times, she didn't seem to mind
”Fufufu, it see war”
”What are you trying to do?”
Koutarou was perplexed by her attacks
Unlike Sanae, as si her incoet into Koutarou's ree, was more troublesome
”I told you, didn't I? We have our pride and traditions Using force goes against both of those”
”In that case, why not just give up on invading the surface?”
”We're just taking back what is rightfully ours I told you, we have our pride and traditions While ant to regain our territory, we don't hold a grudge against the people here We know the pain of having so stolen, so on't attack the people here Our eneer”
”So what, do you think I'll just agree with you?”
And thewas that Kiriha's behavior and belief were extremely correct
If it had just been so to force their way in, it would have been much easier for Koutarou
”I'll ree We have plenty of time”
Kiriha pressed her aainst Koutarou and looked up at him provocatively
”Wh-wha!?”
Between her suspicious expression and the sensation of her large, soft breasts, Koutarou unintentionally ju intensely
”We have endured a round”
”Wh-what about it?
”Fufufu, itwill you endure? Sixto make you nod your head”
Kiriha nonchalantly blew Koutarou a kiss
”Ugh”
Kurano Kiriha The round
A tough opponent appears
For Koutarou, she was the strongest eneht now
”What's with that! Showing off her large chest! And Koutarou too! Blushi+ng at that obvious sex appeal!”
Sanae had peeked into the hallway to observe the situation, and she was furious
Sanae wanted to chase Koutarou out
But she had a strong dislike for Kiriha's method, which she herself was unable to use
”If you hand the rooive you!”
Because of that, Sanae did not want Koutarou to be chased out by Kiriha She had long forgotten her original goal
”E-excuse me”
A person began talking to Sanae
”What!?”
”Hiii! So-sorry, so sorry, I was in the wrong!”
The voice belonged to Yurika, who had just woken up
Frightened by Sanae's attitude, she began to cry
”It was just on i on!”
”Oh yeah, you were here too”
”Nooooo! My very existence has been forgotten!”
”You're being very annoying at this i already Geez”
Sanae, who had been floating in the air, landed in front of Yurika with a tired expression on her face Reluctantly, she began explaining the situation
”That woto take control of this roo the surface and using this room as their base”
”Un-underground people!? Really!?”
”There's no need to be surprised about people living under the ground, right? Compared to you, she is a proper person”
”You're wrong! That's prejudice! Why won't you believethe surface!?”
”How about you touch your chest and ask yourself that instead!”
”Chest? Do youbreasts are the reason?”
After looking down on her own chest, Yurika looked at Kiriha and Sanae and revealed a relieved smile
She was happy she wasn't in last place
”Just ain You won't see the sunrise tomorrow”
”Kyaaa! So-sorry! I'm so sorry! It's all my fault!”
Hearing Sanae's threats, the frightened Yurika ran for the wardrobe and closed its sliding door in a hurry
”Everything's become such a mess”
In the beginning, all she had to do was chase out Koutarou
However, the situation began to develop in an unexpected direction
”Anyways, Koutarou, if you fall for that woret it!”
Unexpected feelings began budding in her small chest
Unaware of that, Sanae ground her teeth as she watched Koutarou and Kiriha's interactions
Having finished laying out the dishes for supper, Koutarou's storowled
”Finally, dinner”
It was now al
”I apologize, Koutarou For my sake”
One of the reasons for the delay in dinner, Kiriha, took a seat to the right of Koutarou
”If that's what you think, then get out”
”I can't do that By the way, Koutarou, why not share a meal with me?”
Laid out in front of Kiriha were stir-fried vegetables, meat, rice and miso soup
”I don't accept debts I especially can't afford to be careless around you”
”Fufufu, you sure are earnest It see you down from there”
Koutarou was sharing dinner with Kiriha because she had helped make it
”That woman only helped, so you would leave this roo, it's the opposite”
Sitting in front of Koutarou was a dissatisfied Sanae She did not like Koutarou and Kiriha getting along
”That's not true I only wish to deepen our friendshi+p -”
”Hmph, we'll see”
There was no dinner in front of Sanae Ghosts can't eat anything, after all
”That looks so much better than cup noodles”
Said Yurika as she poured hot water from the kettle into her cup noodles
Despite the high cost of living, the noodles could be bought for a bargain price of 98 yen
The sad figure of Yurika could move you to tears
”Do you want some too?”
”Eh!?”
Because of that, Koutarou felt a little merciful
”W-would that be alright?”
”Yu-Yurika! The water! The water! It's overflowing!”
”Kyaaa! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!”
Distracted by Koutarou's offer, Yurika had not paid attention to her pouring, and the hot water had spilled out of her cup noodles
Yurika put the kettle down on the tea table and hurriedly wiped up the hot water with a dishcloth
”You're a helpless person, aren't you”
”I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I'm clumsy and a blockhead!”
”That doesn't matter But what about dinner; will you eat too?”
”You'll still share with me after what I just did!?”
The half-crying Yurika's expression brightened, and she sped up her hands wiping up the water
”Yeah, you can have some”
”Thank you very much!”
”No need to say thanks But in return, you have to get out after you eat”
Hearing that, Yurika's smile froze and her hands stopped
”I-I can't leave, so I'll eat the cup noodles”
Yurika's shoulders slumped with disappointment
However, like a child, Yurika kept staring at the meal in front of Koutarou
”It see her decision”
”There's no need to hold it in You can eat your fill and then get out”
”Aaaaaaaa”
Yurika sed her saliva
”No, Yurika! You can't lose to this teht!”
Yurika desperately tried to persuade herself, but the smell of the delicious food continued to tempt her
She had been eating nothing but cup noodles for a while now, and the temptation was unbearable
As such, Yurika kept staring at Koutarou's
”Just let it go, Yurika All you have to do is get out of this room”
”A-aaaaaa! The rice! Theme! So cruel, this torture is too much!”
Yurika's stoiven in to the temptation
”Dinner”
While watching Koutarou and Yurika going back and forth, Sanae examined the other three's meals
”I haven't eaten in years”
”What's wrong, Sanae?”
Koutarou felt soht away
She began talking only after several seconds had passed
”Hey, Koutarou and Yurika Either one of you is fine, but”
”What?”
”Ye-Yes, What is it?”
Koutarou answered nonchalantly whilst Yurika answered nervously
”Could I possess you?”
Sanae's next words were unexpected
”Possess?”
Even so, as more unexpected to Koutarou was Sanae's serious attitude
That's why Koutarou wasn't surprised and wanted her to explain herself in greater detail
”Noooooooooooo!!”
Yurika, however, did not share Koutarou's feelings at all
”I don't want to be possessed by a ghost noto possess someone, let it be Satomi-kun, please!!”
Yurika left her cup noodles where they were, hurriedly ju door
”Well you see, I'ht?”
”Yeah”
Koutarou and Sanae no longer expected anything froh nothing had happened
”Because of that, I can't eat stuff, right?”
”That's right Offerings would be as close as possible”
”But if I possess someone, I can taste what that person eats”
”Sanae, that method would work better if you possessed soth as you Wouldn't it be better to possess me or Yurika instead?”
Kiriha, who had just been looking on, began to speak
”That's true, but Yurika's like that, and Kiriha, I refuse to do it with you!”
”Why?”
”If I becoret it!”
”Well aren't I hated”
Kiriha smiled bitterly at Sanae
”That's how it is, so Koutarou, please!”
”What's in it for et rid of me”
Sanae put her hands together and lowered her head
”Please! I won't get rid of you! I just want to be able to taste food again!”
”Really?”
”Yes!”
Sanae looked up and nodded repeatedly
”The only thing I need you to endure is sore shoulders”
”Sore? Don't say such things to the person you're about to possess”
”And if you letI wouldn't et stiff I'll give you a e!”
”A truce”
That was an attractive proposition to Koutarou
It'd mean the amount of people he'd have to chase out would be reduced to two, and the ressive, Sanae, would remain calm
And all I have to do is endure stiff shoulders? Alright
”Alright, I'll accept those conditions”
”Really!?”
”Yeah, come on I'm ready”
Koutarou tapped his own shoulders as he said that
”Yeah!”
Sanae then suddenly jumped at Koutarou
”Uwa!?”
”Thanks, Koutarou!”
Even if you call her a ghost, it's aluess she is a child
That is what Koutarou felt as he looked at Sanae
At that moment, the wardrobe door slid open, and Yurika's red face appeared from inside
Yurika silently returned to the tea table
She felt that the situation had calmed down, but was ashamed of her own behavior
”So Sanae, all I have to do is eat like normal?”
”Yes! Just wait a minute; I'll possess you now!”
However, neither Koutarou nor Sanae paid any attention to Yurika at all
And Kiriha, atching the two, paid no mind to Yurika either
It was at about this ti, but thankfully, that was not the case this time
”Ei!”
Sanae spun around over to Koutarou's back and clung to him with her arms wrapped around his neck
”Go ahead, Koutarou”
”This is what possession is like? It's quite different froined”
Koutarou could feel Sanae's small body on his back
It ar next to his ear
She eak to fortune goods, could pass through walls and use Poltergeist Attacks
There was no doubt that she was a ghost, but Koutarou had gradually stopped thinking of Sanae as just a ghost
”Yes! Eat up, Koutarou!”
Sanae, on the other hand, was in a very cheerful mood
”Alright, Let's eat”
”Yes, Go ahead I guess that's not my line”
”Hahaha, What does it matter”
Koutarou began eating while carrying Sanae on his back
I wonder why?
Strangely enough, Koutarou didn't feel anything negative towards Sanae at that moment
”Ah, Koutarou, this one's delicious!”
”I am honored you would praise me”
”Kiriha made that one”
”Hee~ Your clothes e, but it seeh”
”Is that so?”
”It's bad for your body”
”Look, Koutarou, even Sanae is saying it Starting tomorroe'll make the taste weaker”
”Hmph”
Kiriha joined in, and they continued eating happily
”That looks delicious”
Yurika looked on regretfully
”And co cup noodles”
Yurika watched with a sad expression on her face as she gently peeled open the lid of her cup noodles
The fragrance of synthetic seasoning rose up from the cup
”Ah”
Disappointed by the smell, Yurika's hand twitched and the tore the lid off halfway
Yurika attempted to peel off the torn portion, but some of the lid remained, and the overall appearance of the cup worsened
”Today has just been terrible… ”
As she said this, her disposable chopsticks broke, and the left and right chopsticks took on different shapes
”Koutarou! Miso soup! Miso soup!”
”I got it, so just calm down a little”
”It's hot, so be careful, Koutarou”
While watching the three enjoying themselves, Yurika's chopsticks reached out for the cup noodles
”Why is it always me”
Grieving by herself, Yurika slurped up her cup noodles
”They're even soggy”
The 98 yen noodles tasted slightly saltier than normal
”Well then, now that we've eaten, let's return to the original subject”
”Original subject?”
Kiriha asked as she poured some after-meal tea
”The subject of throwing you out!”
Sanae laughed at Kiriha while resting her chin on Koutarou's shoulder
”Sanae, you want to keep living here, so you're chasing out everyone else, correct?”
”Yes Well, we have a truce at the moment”
”Right, and Kiriha-san, you want this room so you can rebuild your altar”
”That's right”
”And Yurika, you want to hold a cosplay party with your friends here”
”You're wrong!”
”And I live here, so I don't want to move out And I won't find someplace with rent as cheap as 5,000 yen anywhere else Besides, if I just hand this room over, there will be various inconveniences”
If Koutarou host would just spread further
Or there would be an invasion or cosplay parties held daily
As shi+zuka's friend, Koutarou wanted to prevent that at any cost
I understand why this place is so valuable to her
”Please listen to !”
”And not everyone wants to fight it out Even though I'ht”
”It is not my purpose to harm people”
”We are currently in a truce, after all”
”I won't be holding any cosplay parties!”
”And none of us have any intention of backing down”
”Of course”
”This is my home!”
”It's dangerous! Please, everyone get out as fast as you can!”
”With that being said, Koutarou, we otiation with you, there are two others after this roorind to a halt It's obvious ill never co, so we ree with”
”Yes, that's right But that method is”
Koutarou agreed with Kiriha and looked around
If only Mackenzie was here at a time like this
For Koutarou, as more action than words, there had been no tiht then
But on the other hand, he couldn't just call the cops
If he started talking about ghosts, underground people, and cosplayers, they would just think that he had lost his mind
He was unable to rely on outsiders
”Please listen! I just can't accept this! Why won't you believe erous!”
”Does anyone have any good ideas? A ree to”
”That's a tough one”
”Hmm a fair method Hey, Koutarou, what about this? We play soame, and the loser has to leave”
”Like I said, I can't accept this! Please listen to me!”
”To decide this fairly with a gaood idea If you look back upon history, there are ames”
”Wait just a second! I don't want this kind of iame!”
Kiriha wasobard with Sanae's idea, but the same could not be said for Koutarou
The reason was simply because Kiriha was smart and Koutarou was not
”Koutarou, would you rather have us hit each other or continue an endless discussion?”
”A fistfight Discussions”
Koutarou gave up the idea of a fistfight after looking at Sanae and Kiriha
And looking at Yurika, he gave up on having a discussion
”Ku, it looks like there's no other way”
Although they had fought on the day they met, for some reason Koutarou did not want to hit Sanae now
The religious tools he had gotten from shi+zuka were all still in their box
He was at a loss as to whether what Kiriha was saying was rational or unreasonable
And he didn't think reason or discussion would get anywhere with Yurika
”A gaame, huh”
Koutarou's shoulders slumped for a moment, but he soon recollected himself and looked at Sanae
”Alright, Sanae, if ere to play a game, ould it be?”
”How about an easy one like rock-paper-scissors?”
Sanae put up a finger and slightly tilted her head
But Kiriha shook her head at the proposal
”Rock-paper-scissors would be bad It's too sireat a part For everyone to agree, ill need a game where a person's ability will be the focus”
”That said, we can't use shougi or chess, can we? There are merits and demerits”
”I haven't played either”
”A gainner would be able to play and that contains an element of luck, but where player skill would co several tiames?”
”Card games like Trump?”
”It wouldn't have to be lih”
”I'm fine with that I've played a lot with Mom and Dad”
”Fine… Call it cosplay or whatever you like If you'll get out anything is fine”
Koutarou looked at the three and took a big breath
”Alright It seeo with that My rooh with this ridiculous thing as soon as possible”
Koutarou couldn't hit the s to his back
He was unable to persuade Yurika
And he didn't have any confidence that he'd be able to endure Kiriha's plotting for er
Koutarou had no choice to but to go with this
”No objections So, Koutarou, what kind of card games e play?”
”Let's see”
”Koutarou, how about the four of us take turns picking the game? That way it'll be fair”
”In that case, we'll need to add points for the placings”
”Indeed At the very least, it needs to continue for everyone to get a turn”
”Uuuu! After all, no one listens to my opinions”
”Hey Koutarou, the two of us have a truce, so we should work together It'll be easier that way, and after we're done, we just need to talk it out”
”You're on If I play normally I'll probably just lose to Kiriha”
”Kiriha-san, those two are tea up”
”That's the kind of thing that usually happens in territory disputes Fufufu, it looks like I can't let ether to defeat them?”
”Y-Yes please!”
Like that, the gaan
The haniwa's -ho thing is just a verbal tic, kinda like Naruto's -ttebayo or -de gozaru
A clay figure that was used during rituals and buried with the dead It is theorized that the soul would reside inside of it