Chapter 49 - Trio
"Well then, will you give me a hand?"
I ask Angelica, who tilts her head as if asking what she should do, to move the table out of the way.
I wondered if it was appropriate to ask a girl to do heavy lifting, but Angelica's attack power is 300. That is nearly three times that of an average man.
Even if she looks like a lovely maiden, she is something more like a small beast.
"Just put it out on the veranda or something."
Giving a cheerful reply of "Yes, sir!", Angelica lifted the table with one hand.
With a light flick.
It was a gesture that showed no sense of weight at all, as if she were merely carrying a thin paperback book.
I can tell Ayako-chan is startled by the gap between her delicate appearance and her strength.
As for me, I carry the bookshelf and the television into the kitchen.
I placed the laptop on top of the washing machine.
If the two of us clean up, it will be done in no time.
The living room lost its furniture, creating a spacious area.
It could be said that enough space had been secured for a single man to jump and leap around.
That said, from here on, it will no longer be just one man
...
"Ange, stay on standby on the bed. Ayako-chan too. ...Also, could you two close your eyes?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to take my clothes off now."
"Ehh!"
Angelica and Ayako-chan cover their eyes with both hands.
I think they probably can't see me. Probably.
I busily undressed and threw my clothes onto the edge of the bed.
"I can hear the sound of clothes rustling..."
"Nakamoto-san, you're naked right now..."
Is it just my imagination, or can I feel their gazes peeking through the gaps in their fingers?
"It's distracting, so just go to the bathroom."
"No, no, please don't mind us. I just love being on a bed."
"...Same here."
Angelica and the others are clearly expecting a different kind of event.
It would be best to clear up the misunderstanding.
"There's nothing good in watching. It'll probably be a gruesome sight."
"...A-Are you going to do something bad? If so, I want to see it even more."
"No, absolutely do not look. You will definitely regret it. Do you really want to stare directly at the moment I am split in two?"
"Split in two!?"
Saying that, Angelica closed her eyes tightly. She must have realized.
Ayako-chan is in a similar state.
"Keep your eyes closed until I say it's okay."
"Yeeees... But please be careful."
Good grief.
Is looking at an old man's body really that interesting?
Sighing, I pull out a permanent marker. I write 'A' on my right flank and 'B' on my left flank.
This is to avoid unnecessary confusion.
It would be problematic if both of them were called "Keisuke Nakamoto."
"Now that I'm actually doing it, I'm quite nervous."
That's right. I am about to increase my own number.
If Kana is going to attack with numbers, I will use the same tactic.
Moreover, my base stats are more than ten times higher than Kana's, and I can even use Double Action.
Just increasing by one person will cause my combat strength to skyrocket.
I cast [Recovery Magic] on my body.
I generate a Light Sword using the [Divine Sword] skill and set a slashing strike in the center of the room.
Following the trajectory prediction markers floating in my vision, I charge straight ahead with momentum.
"...!"
After a moment of blankness in my thoughts, I hear a thudding sound of someone falling.
When I look to the side, a version of me consisting only of my left half is lying there.
Another me, sliced exactly in half.
The cut surface moves squelchily, and the regeneration of the right half has begun. It will likely return to its original size soon.
Glancing at my own body, my left half is also starting to restore itself.
On my flank is the mark 'A'. I am Keisuke A.
"...Oh, looks like the regeneration is complete. How about you over there?"
"Same here."
"It didn't hurt as much as I expected."
"True. It was surprisingly anticlimactic."
I engage in a most peculiar conversation with Keisuke B.
Having small talk with oneself is a truly strange feeling.
"What should we do? Add one more?"
"Hmm... well, let's do it."
"Then I'll go."
"Yeah. I'll go change."
Keisuke B headed toward the bathroom, clutching his clothes.
After seeing him off, I signed 'C' on my left flank.
Then, I bisected myself once more.
Just as before, a copy of me is generated. This time, Keisuke C is ready.
"For now..."
"Let's put on underwear."
Keisuke C and I look at each other and crouch down.
The bottom of our bed has drawers, where our clothes are stored.
The two of us, with identical movements, pulled out boxer briefs and quickly stepped into them.
Next, we pulled on our shirts.
That should be enough.
I called out to Angelica and the others, "You can open your eyes now."
"...Hawawa... Father is increasing... This must be heaven..."
"...Nakamoto-san has such a well-toned body. I could tell even through his clothes, though..."
Ayako-chan is gazing at us changing with an entranced expression.
It's a remarkable recovery, making it hard to believe she was crying just a moment ago.
As I scratch my head, thinking that these girls are throwing me off my rhythm, Keisuke B came out of the bathroom.
"Hurry up and get dressed, you guys. It's not right to be in that state in front of Ange and Ayako-chan. It's not good for their education."
I reply to the man with my own face, saying I know that without being told.
Since I was thinking the exact same thing right now, I don't feel any resentment.
Because it's a conversation with myself, it feels no different from talking to myself in my head.
Once Keisuke C and I finished changing, we sat down and crossed our legs.
Keisuke B joined us. The discussion begins.
"They say three heads are better than one, after all."
"Well, what we're doing feels more like strength than wisdom."
"So, who takes which role?"
Keisuke C suggests deciding with rock-paper-scissors. There are no objections. There couldn't be.
"Let's decide who handles what in order of who wins."
Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
In time with the chant, I show paper. The other two show rock.
"As expected of A, you're strong."
"It was a coincidence. I'll take charge of ambushing in the mountains."
Rock-paper-scissors is held once more. The winner is Keisuke C.
"Then I'll be the lookout."
"Does that mean I'm the one in charge of going to work?" Keisuke B asks, his shoulders drooping.
"Don't look so disappointed. It's an easy position, right?"
"Exactly. You just have to live your daily life as usual."
"...Just waiting is the hardest part mentally. You know that well."
Keisuke C and I both work together to comfort the dejected Keisuke B.
Even if they are makeshift clones, we were one body until just a few minutes ago. We are perfectly in sync.
"Um... Fathers, what are you planning to do?"
Angelica had a puzzled look on her face, pressing her index finger to her lips.
"I have work from tomorrow onwards. One of us will head to the TV station normally and live a regular life. I have to earn my fee, and above all, it serves as an alibi. Meanwhile, the other two of us will flush out Kana."
"I see. You can't really do that unless you physically split yourself, can you?"
Beside Angelica, who was nodding understandingly, Ayako-chan was turning red.
Seeing Keisuke B being patted on the shoulder by Keisuke C, she was breathing heavily.
There is no doubt she is having some sort of wicked, spine-chilling imagination.
"Nakamoto-san as a timid attacker, and Nakamoto-san as a seductive receiver..."
Me x Me is a horrifying combination, so I desperately want her to stop.
I mean, does Ayako-chan have education in that area?
Is this girl going to be okay?
While I was shuddering, Keisuke B spoke as if remembering something.
"We'll need smartphones for communication, right? I'll go buy some now."
"Ah, sorry about that. I'm counting on you."
"Two should be enough, right? Once the Kana extermination is over, we can give them to Angelica and Ayako-chan."
"That helps. Here, wallet."
I toss the wallet that was in my pocket toward Keisuke B.
He caught it with a perfect snap.
Terrifyingly, Keisuke B was already in a receiving stance before I even started the throwing motion.
It seems that by the time I started rummaging through my pocket, he had already predicted roughly where I would throw it.
He probably understands everything I'm thinking.
It is teamwork that has reached the realm of telepathy.
"Well, I'm off."
After putting on a coat, the other me headed quickly toward the entrance.
There couldn't be a more reliable doppelganger.
"Now then."
Since B has taken on the chores, I must handle the dirty work.
I approached Ayako-chan and firmly gripped her slender shoulders.
"There's something I want to ask of you."