Chapter 41 - Truancy
While eating breakfast, I tried talking to Ayako-chan.
I thought I would ask her for more details regarding the moment she was slashed.
"...I couldn't see his face. It was so sudden, from behind."
"I figured. Did you hear a voice?"
"...No. That, too..."
That's no good either.
If someone launches a surprise attack while blending into the darkness of night, it's almost impossible to respond.
Much less for an ordinary citizen who hasn't received combat training.
I might not be able to expect much information from Ayako-chan.
"Well then, did anything unusual happen recently?"
There was a possibility that the culprit had already set his sights on Ayako-chan beforehand.
If she had seen the face of a suspicious person in recent days, that person would be the prime suspect.
"...Nothing in particular."
"I see."
"...Ah, but."
"Did you remember something?"
"Mother said that since last week, an old classmate has started showing up at our shop."
Ayako-chan continued, saying she didn't think it was related.
"...I have no other leads besides this."
"A classmate, huh. From your first year?"
"No. From middle school."
"...A boy?"
"Yes."
That guy sounds incredibly suspicious, so I bit at the hook.
"Maybe he was secretly harboring feelings for you, Ayako-chan? Could be a twisted stalker."
"...That's impossible."
"Why not? You seem like you'd be popular, Ayako-chan, so it wouldn't be strange if there were people like that."
Though my premise was strictly that she seemed popular as long as one didn't see her inner self.
"Because that person... isn't the type who could do something bad."
"Is he a good guy?"
"It's not like that."
"He's weak," Ayako-chan muttered.
"Weak?"
"Yes. ...As soon as he entered middle school, he started being bullied. It's pitiful, but... by his second year, he finally stopped coming to school altogether. Now, it seems he hardly even leaves his house."
"A shut-in, then."
It was a story I had heard somewhere before.
A person who suddenly falls into being a shut-in during middle school becomes active again one day.
Yes, just like me.
Of course, I wasn't holed up in a room. I had been running amok in another world.
In this world, people's perceptions have been manipulated to believe that I had been staying at home all along.
...Is it the same as me?
"Do you know his name?"
At my question, Ayako-chan furrowed her brows while still holding her chopsticks.
"...I'm sorry. Since I've never spoken to him, I don't know his first name. But I know his surname. It's Saeki-kun."
"No, no, that's helpful information. As for where he lives... you don't remember, do you? Ah, I guess I should go to Ayako-chan's house again and grab her graduation album."
"That's impossible. Recent graduation albums don't list contact information."
Come to think of it, I had heard something about that.
It's a desperate world. Compared to my student days, the weight of personal information has increased.
"Well, fine. Thanks to you, it looks like I'll make some progress."
A middle school classmate of Ayako-chan, Saeki.
Are you a Summoned Hero too?
There was no answer to the question I muttered in my heart.
"But, a stalker... I can't imagine it. Saeki-kun and I have never even exchanged words. How could he possibly fall in love with me like that?"
After transferring trains, I arrived at the TV station.
In the original schedule, my hero interview was supposed to continue, but it seemed the station's interest was concentrated on the proliferating people.
It was only natural if the number of people increased that much in a single night.
My presence is fading away more and more... As I was feeling dejected, Producer Kurosawa called out to me.
"Nakamoto-san, the numbers aren't bad. Emphasizing the muscles really worked after all."
"Really? I was worried it might come off as too narcissistic, but that's what gets a reaction?"
"Because the people watching TV right now are mostly women. We've entered an era where numbers go up when a man strips."
It felt like a different world compared to the year 2000.
Things certainly change.
"So, I want you, Nakamoto-san, who has momentum right now, to be linked with news that has similar momentum. That's why I have a proposal."
"...What kind of job is it?"
"That one, that one."
The proliferation incident, Producer Kurosawa said.
"The attention on this is huge, right? If we link you—the peerless genius magician who boasts a beautiful physique—to it, the viewership is guaranteed to skyrocket!"
"...What exactly am I supposed to do?"
"It would be impossible for Nakamoto-san to increase people... wouldn't it?"
I suppose I could if I wanted to.
"It's impossible. It exceeds human limits."
"Right. But well, the public doesn't think so. We'll prepare some anonymous twins and stage it so it looks like Nakamoto-san can increase people too."
"Isn't that just a setup?"
"It's fine, actually, there are quite a few magicians overseas who are actually twins. Most teleportation-type magic uses this as the trick."
It was a reality I didn't want to know.
"Um, so, I just have to stand in front of the TV and show myself increasing people? Even though it's a setup."
"Exactly, exactly. And then, please try to provoke the culprit as much as possible."
"...Eh?"
"We'll use captions to emphasize things like, 'Even I could do that!', so I'm counting on you."
Now, what should I do, I wondered, letting my thoughts wander.
"...Can I make one request?"
At my words, Producer Kurosawa made a puzzled face.
He raised an eyebrow and let out an "Hmm?"
"Can I provoke them even more aggressively? I'm thinking of insulting them terribly. Like, 'the perverted slasher' or something."
"...You're quite bellicose."
"Because, look, the opponent is attacking people like a random assailant and then making them proliferate, right? He's a criminal, for all intents and purposes."
"Hmm..."
The stout producer groaned while scratching the tip of his nose.
"...Very well. Some people treat the culprit like a hero, but on the internet, there are quite a few 'kill him' calls as well. Since we're disliked on the internet, it might be worth following those voices this time. We can use this as an opportunity to seek reconciliation."
"Thank you. I'll give it my best."
If Saeki really is the culprit behind the proliferation incident, this provocation should work.
Well, there's a high possibility he'll just ignore it.
It's like simply throwing a pebble into the water to create ripples.
A faint hope that something might happen because of this.
Whether a fish will surface, or a spring spirit might appear.
It's better than doing nothing.
As for Saeki's address, I can just ask Rio for help.
Rio's middle school was the same as Saeki's and Ayako-chan's.
In other words, Rio's Big Brother, King Leo, went to the same school as Saeki. They might have even been in the same class.
While having those lion siblings investigate his identity, I will use the airwaves to provoke him.
Even if Saeki isn't involved in the incident, the most likely true culprit is still a Hero returning from another world.
I know exactly what kind of words make that breed of person snap.
It's a way of flushing him out that only I can do.
Whether it results in good or bad.