Chapter 183: 2nd Chosen batch countermeasure meeting and New Weapons (1/2)
1 day until the 2nd group is transferred to this world.
We gathered at the living room of the residence and decided to have a strategy meeting.
“Now then, new people are finally coming, but there’s two choices. Whether we interact with them or not.” (Jeanne)
Jeanne opens it up.
Looks like we are going to be deciding if we will get involved with them or not to begin with.
“We are the seniors here in a sense after all. Guiding the newbies…is a choice in itself.” (Jeanne)
“No, there’s the chance that the new Chosen will be aiming for our lives, so didn’t you say it was dangerous?” (Hikaru)
“I did. There’s actually danger to it. That’s why I am asking here just in case.” (Jeanne)
Jeanne said that there’s the chance that the 2nd Chosen batch will be attacking us, and I honestly do think she is right on that.
It is clear that we already have a lot of things in our possession, and this place has different laws from that of Earth. The police force in this city is on a level you can guess, and the 2nd group can bring guns, poison, or anything.
Especially me who has the items of everyone in the Shadow Storage.
We have stuff that can be easily bought and money, but there’s also the valuable items like the ones that can only be bought with Points.
For example; when it comes to Barrier Stones, Jeanne, Rifreya, and I make sure to always have 3 for each one of us.
The Dark Night Gauntlet that I have equipped can most likely be sold for quite the sum.
In the words of Jeanne, it is also possible that people with bad intentions will be attracted just from the fact that Rifreya is with us.
In the 1st Viewer Count Race, I used her appeal to reach all the way to 1st place even if for a moment. There were several hundreds of millions of viewers at that time.
In other words, for the people on Earth, Rifreya is…a super star, including the people in the 2nd group.
There’s no reason not to be on guard.
Actively getting involved with them can serve to keep them in check, but there’s also the risk of bringing them to threat distance. It is a difficult choice, but I…
“I…if possible, don’t want to get involved with them.” (Hikaru)
“I did expect you to say that, Kuro. And I of course don’t want to get involved either. I am not the type that is good at interacting with people. What about you, Reya?” (Jeanne)
“E-Eh? I, uhm…don’t know anything about the Chosen. If you two say you don’t want to get involved with them, isn’t that okay?” (Rifreya)
It is unanimous. Well, it is not a party with highly social people after all…
Even if not, the chances of us benefiting from getting involved with the new Chosen is low.
Of course, if it is to accept them as new party members, there are merits to it, but it would only be at the time when we can tell it is someone trustworthy.
Even if not, there’s the chance that I am still being thought of as the murderer of Nanami and Nanami’s family.
There’s no certainty my innocence has been proved even with Nanami reviving. Her memories could have been lost with the powerful experience of death, or the culprit could have killed her without her having the chance of seeing his face.
I myself saw the face of the culprit practically by chance. I do know his face, but it is a student of the same grade that I don’t know the name of. If I at least remembered the name, it could have been different, but there’s no point in regretting that now.
In that sense, it is better to not undo our caution towards the 2nd group too.
“Uhm… Don’t the people of the 2nd group know that Hikaru has revived his childhood friend? How about asking about that?” (Rifreya)
The suggestion of Rifreya made my heart jump.
I have told her all my circumstances.
About Nanami having revived.
About how she could have proved my innocence.
It is true that we could tell if I ask the 2nd Chosen group, but the risk of making contact with them is too high.
In the first place, we don’t know with what conditions they are being transferred with.
There’s the chance they can choose their transfer location, and it is not like the abilities they can get with Points are the same from the 1st group.
“Reya, I think that’s a gamble of sorts. To go into more detail, I am somewhat in the know thanks to the messages of his little sisters, but…I haven’t told Kuro. Do you know why?” (Jeanne)
“Eh, why? Can’t you tell him? Hikaru is acting as if he is okay, but he was pretty down not that long ago, you know?” (Rifreya)
“Then, Kuro, I will tell you. Your innocence has long been proved, and the criminal that killed Nanami has been arrested. The reason that people are watching you is plainly because they are interested in you.” (Jeanne)
“E…Eh?” (Hikaru)
What is Jeanne saying?
No…she said that she has been doing exchanges with Celica through messages, so Celica must have sent that to her.
But…
“What’s the matter? With this, everything is resolved, right? How about being more happy?” (Jeanne)
“B-But…” (Hikaru)
“Not feeling the reality of it? Or…you can’t trust me?” (Jeanne)
“It is…not that…” (Hikaru)
While answering that, I was thinking the complete opposite.
Just as she says, if that’s true, everything is solved. My chest hurts. I want to believe it. Even though I want to believe it, I…I couldn’t believe it.
Jeanne wouldn’t lie, but…I don’t know about Celica.
She is the type of girl that always aims for the best route.
If it is Celica…she would easily lie for the sake of her objective.
“Kuro, you were dropped into sorrow…and became distrustful of others; I understood that from the very beginning. What kind of words would resonate with a person like that? Whose words would they be able to believe? In the end, the information that I know of Earth is from messages, or hearing it from others; all uncertain sources. That’s why I told you to forget about the other side… It doesn’t matter anymore; Earth and the viewers. If there’s anything, it is only to be careful of the 2nd group. What’s important is the future from here on. I also…forgot about it. My past…everything.” (Jeanne)
Jeanne must be trying to cheer me up in her own way.
I understand that to a painful extent.
I covered my face.
It is as she says.
No matter what someone says, there’s no way to prove that that’s true.
If it is Celica and Karen, they would do their very best for my sake.
But it also translates to ‘by any means’. They would easily do something like having all the 2nd Chosen group tell me false information.
In that sense, Celica is a reliable little sister.
That’s why it ironically feels as if the information she gives is dramatized.
It is as Jeanne says.
It would be better to forget about Earth.
If I live only looking at a future with Rifreya and Jeanne…