Chapter 226 - Lewdness Whenever Opportunity Arises
After leaving the detention center, we all agreed on one thing: "For now, let's just escape somewhere far away."
Given the number of people, we decided on a car as our means of transportation.
Guided by the female police officers, we headed toward the patrol car parked in the parking lot. Because they climbed into the driver's and passenger's seats with a speed that left no room for argument, I inevitably ended up sitting in the back seat.
As for the seating order... I should let Sugitani-san sit first, as she showed signs of exhaustion.
"Please, get in first."
After pushing Sugitani-san in as she bowed her head, saying she was ashamed, I then lowered myself onto the seat.
"Now, next is Ange."
"Is Father going to be in the middle?"
"That's how it has to be. It's the only way to keep watch out of both the left and right windows."
"What about Erin-san?"
"She'll turn into a cat. Ange just needs to hold her."
When I stole a glance, Erin was shaking her head vigorously.
"Why are you being so reluctant...? With this many people in a patrol car, it's going to be incredibly cramped. If someone can shrink down, shouldn't they do it?"
"...I'd love to become a cat, but... I can't anymore."
"Huh?"
"...I used too much magical power due to a debuff. I need a little rest before I can transform into another form."
Normally, I think the common pattern is to automatically revert to a cat form when out of mana.
This is the first time I've seen a case where someone becomes unable to change back while remaining in human form.
"Well, I know Erin isn't the type to lie at a time like this, but..."
"...Is there space for one more in the back seat?"
"No."
Sugitani-san is a tall woman nearly 180 centimeters, I'm a muscular guy with broad shoulders, and Angelica has a large rear. There's no room to seat another human here.
On the other hand, if I forced someone into the front seat, it would likely interfere with the driving, so I wondered what to do.
"Could you please hurry? The pursuers might be coming."
The female officer who had her hands on the steering wheel was beginning to show signs of irritation.
Fine, it can't be helped.
"It can't be helped. Erin, get on top of me. If you can't sit normally, I'll have to serve as your seat."
"...Eh?"
"Sit facing me and just cling to me. I'll act as your seatbelt."
It's what's known as the "ekiben" style. This way, it should be fine even if the car shakes.
Even if we have to start a car chase to lose our pursuers, my physical strength would allow me to hold her firmly.
"I think it's a brilliant plan. There won't be any problems with this. Come on, Erin, hurry up and get on top of me!"
"...Mm."
Nodding repeatedly, Erin slid into the vehicle. She skillfully passed over a stunned Angelica and, upon reaching me, clung to me with a manner that seemed to be seeking affection.
When a beautiful girl in a police officer look clings to you tightly, it brings an indescribable sense of guilt.
However, this was strictly a result of prioritizing rationality.
There was no other way.
It was a necessary sacrifice.
Erin's modest chest is squishing against my body, and her sweet breath is hitting my face, but the original cause lies with the police organization that arrested Sugitani-san for a crime that never happened. I, too, could be called a victim of power struggles.
"Now, please depart! If we don't leave here quickly, we don't know what might happen to us!"
At my instruction, the female officers spoke in unison, lamenting, "What we don't know is your mental state."
As for Sugitani-san, she was staring out the window with an awkward expression.
Angelica... looked somewhat exasperated.
"I feel like lately, Father has been looking for any excuse to flirt with girls whenever the opportunity arises."
"Hey now, don't say things that make me sound bad. It makes me sound like some womanizing harem guy."
"Like...?"
At the same time Angelica sighed, the patrol car began to move.
We exited the parking lot and darted onto the road as if slipping through the gaps between cars. All that was left was to turn right to reach the national highway.
"Are there any pursuers?"
Because she is sitting facing me, Erin is the only one in the car looking toward the rear.
In other words, if I want to know whether pursuit vehicles are coming, I just have to ask her.
"...So far, none."
"I see."
I suppose I can breathe a sigh of relief.
While stroking Erin's hair, I asked Sugitani-san.
"So, in the end, for what reason were you being detained? I've only been told it was an internal conflict within the police, so I don't really understand the situation."
"I am finally beginning to lose track of Nakamoto-san's strike zone... Even though Rio Saito was a mature, black-haired girl, the otherworlder you are currently holding has an innocent appearance... and I am also aware that you are keeping a Caucasian woman around thirty years of age. Just what are your tastes...? Well, fine. I shall explain in order."
My strike zone is probably so wide and loose that it's basically "anyone is okay as long as they haven't gone through menopause."
But that doesn't matter. We should get to the main topic quickly.
"The reason Nakamoto-san didn't properly dispose of the goblin corpses was so that we would find them on purpose, wasn't it?"
"That's right. That is precisely why we ended up having ties with an organization like the Public Security Bureau."
"Do you happen to know where the recovered corpses went?"
"I don't know."
"They were sent to various research institutes within the country."
...What of it?
If a mysterious monster attacks a residential area, I think it's perfectly normal behavior to investigate it.
If this country were so carefree that it would be more problematic to bury them without doing anything, then it would truly be beyond help.
"The goblins were carved into many parts, and their brains were collectively taken in by a university in Tokyo. It seems they primarily research artificial intelligence there."
"...Artificial intelligence..."
"It seems they are aiming for something that can be installed in unmanned weapons. It appears they were dying for the brain tissue of an aggressive creature."
Sugitani-san spoke in a tone as if she were giving a weather forecast.
"Those goblins might just come back to life in mechanical bodies."
As if saying, "It's going to rain soon."
As if it were nothing at all.
"I think I know too much."