Chapter 31 (1/2)

Chapter 3-1

Companion/Fourth Person (First Part)

Part 1

Tobio welco in one room of the ‘hideout’ It was athe black puppy curled up asleep at the foot of the bed, he recognized anew the truthfulness of yesterday’s events While lying in bed, Tobio exhaled

……He had also found a ray of hope a been attacked by a reality that was hard to accept, he still wanted to save everyone……Sae as well

Tobio again hardened the resolve in his heart Having obtained a strong deteroals were

——Go to h School named Samejima Kouki

Still in bed, Tobio recalled what he knew about Samejima Kouki The last time he’d seen him, it was at the joint funeral for their classmates That would have been a feeeks after the “Heavenly of Aloha issue” maritime accident——

It was sunny that day Tobio re a cloudless blue sky the joint funeral service was solemnly performed It had becoh School were alive or dead, however their survival becaly hopeless The remains of the teachers, as well as the crew of the “Heavenly of Aloha”, were found, and were included in the joint funeral

Outside of the funeral ho with thesniffed out the information, which was also reported on TV

The funeral ceremony was held on behalf of all the bereaved parents The funeral was still held under circumstances where it remained unconfirmed if they were alive or dead Tobio had been doubtful about how they were able to proceed with such a htest hitch

The seats for students who like Tobio had survived without having participated in the school trip numbered less than ten seats There were so in front of theto the leaked out froe Absolutely, there was this feeling as though the funeral was just being acted out From the bereaved families, especially those ere parents of students, their sadness gave off a feeling that this was sied perfor their crying, didn’t appear like those who are genuinely sad, and despite the situation did not have the appearance of haggardness At that place, he visibly felt as though it was only the appearance of e up indifference

At least at the tie feeling of disco with a loved one

Despite Tobio’s doubts, the funeral had progressed Thinking back on it now, that “discoe

The funeral had progressed and already the tiorously thrown open by soe as Tobio, he was a boy whose hair had been dyed a light brown Everyone in attendance had focused on his appearance Clasped in the boy’s hand was a bouquet of flowers

A delinquent had briskly intruded with extreme rudeness With an expression of surliness in the presence of the deceased, he stood and looked upon a certain ure in this portrait, that person was a fierce looking boy with hair dyed brown

Then, he softly placed the bouquet he had brought upon the altar

“You idiot……”

Without even joining his hands, he said asappeared like the wind, the delinquent went and left like the wind

For Tobio, what left the great impression on him from the joint funeral, was this scene

It was Sah School

Looking up at the ceiling, fuu……letting out a deep sigh, Tobio again sank his head into the pillow

“……Ryoukuu’s number one delinquent……Samejima”

Even if he had no prior awa Natsume, he could still distinctly remember Samejima Kouki

With such self-derision, he covered his eyes with his arh school, since he carried such a title of delinquency it was only that he reht It was the one type of person that oneeveryday school life

“Shark isn’t a bad person”

Such a voice was heard froirl’s voice Tobio leapt to his awake and began exa the bed He pulled back the comforter and there was——

“Good ”

Wearing a single white button down shi+rt was the figure of a blonde haired girl——it was Lavinia

“Wha……Whaa……!”

Tobio was unable to enunciate when faced with such an excessive occurrence During his life, so in the same bed as someone of the opposite sex had never happened (to be precise that had happened when he had taken a nap together with Sae when they were young, but because they were young children it doesn’t count) so this was especially a great surprise

What had now burst into his vision——was the visibly snohite skin of her thighs Since it was just a single dress shi+rt, Lavinia’s legs were almost coh school boy, yet alsoin from the , the white dress shi+rt appeared to be transparent

With his cheeks dyed red, Tobio turned ahile asking her

“W-why are you here……!”

He noticed that his own voice sounded nervous, and furthermore he felt very much ashamed

Without bearing anyher eyes while half asleep

“……Last night I got up to go to the toilet The next thing I noticed I was in this bed”

The next thing I noticed I was in this bed——There was no way Tobio could believe souous, nor was there any way to kno long her body had been here

“In ay is this a problem?”

As Lavinia conversely inclined her head and enquired, Tobio retorted, “You’re asking an to bicker

Tobio, having concluded the current ed the subject

“……So Shark, that’s Samejima?”

Earlier, Lavinia had said ‘Shark’ At that time he had muttered the name of Samejima ‘Same (鮫) = Shark’, it’s simple but that’s how it seems to be (TN: The first character of Salish word)

Lavinia answered right after one yawn

“That’s right Shark is Shark Because his ht it was perfect”

Samejima has a shark-like gressive? Still, when Sa a delinquent, he was the type whose popularity with girls was considerably good It was the so-called good-looking bad boy type Still, flirtatious speech was never once to be heard from him, only talk of his heroic face entered one’s ear

Lavinia continued speaking

“Shark it seeht Perhaps, I think he was outside exter the sacred treasure”

……Outside exter, that exceeds reckless behavior He probably also possesses an ani like an independent avatar type, just like Minagawa Natsume’s So it should be possible with Utsuse is thethose e that? For himself at least, it was unlikely Tobio would be able to use calree of ue, such an approach seemed to be very haphazard

……It took strong detero out like that, but would Samejih? For hi the likes of such battles alone with only the unusual teine

Moreover, there was one troublesome special characteristic of the “Utsuse the inforht

Utsuse, once they’ve memorized the smell of their opponent froe of that scent to their fellow Utsusemi For Tobio, this happened when the Utsusemi employed by his friend Sasaki cut his cheek Apparently it seemed to have memorized the smell from his own blood that was spilt at that ti the scent of the opponent that had been memorized on that one occasion And thus, the Utsusemi had invaded Tobio’s home

Was there anywhere could he have found relief where he ht not be discovered

Since they broke into his hoht to return——yet But, contrary to his desire, it was extremely easy to attack that place The shock was immeasurable

As he had heard it, Natsume was also already attacked at her home, and told him that she had ended up here She currently lives in another room in the same condominium

The condominium this “Governor General” had prepared, it was located on the outskirts of the city It seems it was composed of some special structure, which made it a place the Utsusemi couldn’t find easily

……Since earlier at his house, he had since gained an understanding of the other party Tobio and company had already obtained a like an organization that was h he hadn’t understood why those people couldn’t seize this condoh, that in order to those who had made to becohold before such a result was achieved

……There’s not ht Within this li must he become, that, Tobio was able to understand, was the current dilemma

Abruptly, Lavinia inquired while looking at the black dog

“……Toby, there’s one thing I want to ask”

Toby…… Apparently he was also given a nickname the same as Samejima, Tobio understood

“Wh-what’s the problem?”

While gazing at the black dog with her blue eyes, Lavinia stated her question

“——This Doggy-san, did it hatch fro out froht? I’m concerned about whether or not it was born that way”

……

……Tobio could find no words to reply with The egg——it had been broken, but it was eed from his own shadow The scene she had described, in which it e it, he’d never seen it

“……How did you hear about that?”

Gulping, Tobio answered as such

Lavinia–—stared intently at the puppy The blue eyes of the young girl and the red eyes of the puppy

“……This Doggy-san, it evidently has a different ambiance than what Natsume and Shark possess”

……Minagawa Natsuiven voice to such feelings at the ti that he intuitively understood was that there was so suspicious about the puppy’s existence

“Toby, if this Doggy-san is also a Sacred Gear, there’s a si what form it takes, its ability, and how it manifests its power”

Lavinia said it straight while placing a hand on his chest

“——The power of desire The sacred treasure——Sacred Gears beco to the possessor It is al desire”

……The power of ‘desire’ That is to say that the black puppy would become powerful in response to his desires……?

Tobio was also staring at the puppy, the person in question wearing nothing but a blank look

——Then, as Tobio and Lavinia were staring fixedly at the puppy, there was a knock on the door that had been left open

“Good mornin— The door is open—?”

Natsu been certain he’d securely locked the door the when he entered last night, the surprised Tobio iht, “Incidentally did Lavinia unlock it when she came here?”

“It’s ’s rea—dy! Waaoh! What are guys doing?”

Natsume was horrified by the situation she saw here That is to be expected It had become the same as a room where a man has taken a woman to bed

“N-no, this is……!”

This was Tobio standing up offering an unsatisfactory excuse

“How disgraceful? Such things are said in japanese Manga at times like this”

Such indifferent words issued from the mouth of the expressionless Lavinia One would be tehly speaking, this is retort, usually coa is that!?”

“Hey, oy oy oy oy oy! I didn’t do anything!?”

While pointing her finger at Tobio, who could do nothing but frantically try to explain, Natsume called him out

“Ikuse-kun! Although it is wonderful to deepen one’s relations with a new co them too much!?”

“T-that’s, this is……!”

Natsume issued her objection as she approached until their faces were in close proxi broadly

“Ju-ust kidding I got you Anyway, Lavinia wandered in here I the ht? She’s always entering eirls”

……

……Looking over at Lavinia, there was a blonde ree was likely cleared up, but this in no way caused Tobio’s mind to be fully satisfied

In the rooht, the trio of Tobio, Natsume, and Lavinia had a late breakfast

——Regarding said breakfast, what had been laid out before Tobio’s eyes was a kettle and cup ra the hot water

Seeing that there was only one thing Tobio could say

“……Cup ra, huh”

Tobio would never have subsisted on ready-randmother had died, the daily three meals she had once so accurately prepared with excellent balance had becoer experience Yet for there to be a case the likes of not being able to prepare proper food, discounting when he was out associating with friends or running an i had never happened However, when he was cooking alone after his grand food prepared by his childhood friend Sae, he had becoed meals

As the two girls, showing no particularthe hot water, Tobio addressed the two of the

“Incidentally, I had brought so redients do you two have that I’?”

Hearing Tobio’s——no, a young asted——

“Y-yeah, in the supply room there’s sos”

——She answered so

“The supply roo here There should be soerator that’s in there”

From Lavinia who’d raised her hand, he had received excellent information

“I understand Then would you just wait 20 minutes? I’ll just prepare breakfast”

Telling the two of theredients

——20 minutes later

Lined up on the table, the etables sticks dipped in arnished with jam for desert

Seeing this, the openly fascinated Natsu!” Lavinia’s facial expression appeared to relued to the French toast

Tobio spoke while folding the apron

“My apologies, both the tuna sandwiches and the French toast overlap in their use of bread, although for the ti, I was able to prepare thismakeshi+ft”

Given the state of affairs, in order to get the girls to eat it, Tobio had prepared so a menu that was simple and could be eaten quickly

But, Natsuirl in question, seized Tobio’s and hand and rapidly shook it up and down in extreht

“It’s a, Ikuse-kun! Well, surely, I had no idea you were the kind of young ain”

……Bargain, huh Tobio was a little troubled by that response, but, since things seeht that therebehind it

Lavinia, who had started eating, let out “Ottimo” from her mouth as she chewed

Ottimo——it’s the Italian word for “delicious” Based upon that, would thatof which, Tobio recalled there being a famous Italian painter with the same name as Lavinia

“Since the cup noodles have already had the lid removed, I’ll take it up to Vaa-kun afterwards”

Lavinia says so while looking at the container of cup noodles

“Vaa-kun?”

Tobio posed a question having heard an unfah

“……He’s the cheeky brat who lives in this apartht The reason we have been eating only cup noodles, that child is the one who gave us those cup noodles He’s going through atreated entirely to Ikuse-kun’s cuisine”

……One can’t help but wonder, what kind of people reside in this apartment co just a bit nervous

Natsu

“Well then, in regards to today’s plans, we are going to ht”

“That’s fine, but do we knohere he is? Or else, perhaps, have you contacted hi back here?”

In response to Tobio’s question, Natsume took out her phone

“Contacting hiood Just in case, I did make certain to force Sah because he never seems to turn it on I can’t help but wonder if he didn’t just provide me with a fake number”

Or perhaps he’s ignoring all phone calls In other words, there’s no way to contact him from here The result, he apparently does whatever he wants without anyone else knowing about it

Then, that would mean Samejima Kouki’s whereabouts were completely unknown Does that h the worst assu within Tobio, Lavinia said

“It’s okay Since I placedon Shark, his position can be specified”

Natsuirl” Until recently, Tobio would have furrowed his eyebrows at anyone professing to be a “irl”

Lavinia produced a san to eht from its tip

Words failed Tobio with this phenoht on the end of the stick was so in mind the circumstances around hiirl was a practical joke

Lavinia immediately stood up, and rotated around once Thereupon, the stick was observed to eht when pointed in a specific direction

While pointing in that direction, Lavinia spoke

“Shark is over there in this direction However, it was a somewhat bad reaction Probably, it’s a place that’s difficult for ic to reach……perhaps the enemy has set up a force field that I don’t kno to penetrate”

Hearing that Natsume inquired

“In other words, Saainst swarms of enemies?”

Lavinia nods in silence Natsume wore an abject look on her face

“……That Yankee, beco the ene encampment without invitation, didn’t he……!”

Natsu fists While wearing a half se She headed towards the entryhileespecially noisy footsteps

“I’ll get that Samejima Kouki! In spite of our combat readiness, that’s no reason to leave him out there alone!”

Linking up with Saainst the Utsusemi——our classmates

Part 2

Having left the apartawa Natsule micro SD card

“That contains certain data that was prepared by the ‘Governor General’ The app can be freely installed by inserting the card into a mobile phone Quickly now”

While being rushed by her, Tobio took out his own ht Having received Natsu the police, and there being no benefit to involving anyone else, he had voluntarily turned his mobile off

……Had he left it on, and he were to receive a call fro with his current mental state From this day and for the foreseeable future, he was unable to attend school He had no expectations of attending This was in order to not involve any of the current students, since it seeht up with the eneo to school Until this incident was resolved, he could not return to his usual routine

The moment he inserted the card he’d received fro automatically, and the app booted up