Chapter 63 - Maiden Mode
Once again, a noisy electronic sound envelops us.
Even though we were just performing a life-and-death struggle moments ago, the moment we step outside, daily life spreads out before us.
Because of that gap, I find it quite difficult to switch gears.
Though, the reason my head is feeling fuzzy right now might largely be because a nonsensical conversation started halfway through.
I can't help but feel that's mostly the cause.
"It throws you off, doesn't it?" I glance at Rio, who is standing beside me.
She is also in a daze, standing still while clutching my sleeve.
"Let's go home."
I try calling out to her, but there is no response.
"Rio. Let's go home."
The second call seems to have properly resonated in her brain, as Rio's face suddenly snapped into awareness.
She moves her head slowly and looks into my eyes. It seems she has something she wants to say.
"...Hey."
"What is it?"
"Those monsters from earlier... they're still around, right?"
"Yeah," I answer.
Agil certainly had said as much.
"Is it really okay for me to just go to school like normal? When I think about encountering one of them, it's... I'm scared."
It is a reasonable anxiety.
From the perspective of Rio, who possesses neither combat power nor appraisal abilities, there is nothing she can do.
"True. As long as we don't know who they're disguised as, it might be better not to go out much. Stay on standby at home for the time being. Tell your Big Brother that too."
"So this is my school refusal debut, then," Rio sighs.
"It's kind of frustrating. People will definitely think I ran away because I couldn't handle bullying."
It will likely affect her grades too. I feel I must settle this matter as soon as possible.
"For now, I'll walk you home today."
I can't let her walk home alone through a town where demi-humans are lurking.
With Rio clinging to me, I left the game center behind.
Checking my smartphone, the time was just after 11:00 AM.
It seems the Saito Household is about a thirty-minute walk from here, so we should arrive right around lunchtime.
"Eat at home, and after that, you can just lounge around. I'll finish things up in the meantime."
Though, that lounging will need to continue for a while.
How many days Rio's siege will last depends on my hard work.
"What should I do while I'm shut in?"
"Watch TV, play mobile games, there are plenty of things."
"I'll definitely be bored... and when I think that monsters might be hiding in the neighborhood, I feel anxious even inside the house."
"Will I even be able to sleep today?" Rio lets out a weak voice.
"Don't be so scared. They've taken over the identities of high school students and have been living student lives. That means they're trying to blend into our society to some extent, right? If so, I don't think it's likely they'd suddenly break into your house to attack you."
Rio bites her lower lip. It seems she is dissatisfied with my current answer.
"In that case, let me stay at Nakamoto-san's house today."
"I told you, that's impossible. My place is small, and there's already someone living here."
"If there isn't someone strong next to me, I can't do it. I'll end up with insomnia."
"Then call me before you go to sleep. Hearing my voice should calm you down a bit."
"...Hmm—"
Rio brushes her hair back and said it as if it were nothing.
"Tonight, before I sleep, can I do it alone while listening to Nakamoto-san's voice? That's probably the best way to distract myself."
"...Do it alone... doing what?"
"Exactly what you're imagining."
Is it sit-ups or something? I feign ignorance.
"There's nothing else to do in bed in the middle of the night besides muscle training, yeah."
"Then let's just say it's sit-ups. Make sure you answer when I call. I'm going to do a lot of them."
"O-oh."
Awkward.
Very, very awkward.
Does this girl have no sense of shame?
Or so I thought, until I noticed her face was red all the way up to the base of her neck. I warned her not to say such strange things if she was embarrassed herself.
"Because, when I say embarrassing things in front of Nakamoto-san, it feels good. It's like, getting looked at with eyes that say, 'What kind of slut is this?'... it gives me the chills."
Actually, does this girl possess an incredibly tough spirit?
I recall that many people who preferred taking on the Tank class in the other world had this kind of personality...
After safely seeing Rio home, I used the bus to return to my apartment early.
Since I was hungry, I felt too lethargic to walk on my own feet.
No matter how much of the strongest Hero one may be, one cannot win against hunger.
Rubbing my growling stomach, I opened the front door.
"I'm home."
Immediately, a savory aroma tickled my nose.
It seems Ayako-chan is making lunch.
"Welcome home, Nakamoto-san."
Once I finished latching the door chain, I spoke to her profile as she stood there in an apron.
"Sorry, I've left you entirely in charge of the cooking. Shall I do the dishes?"
"It's fine. I will do them properly."
"It pains my heart to keep a girl working all the time, though."
"...But... I have to... do the housework..."
Ayako-chan held a kitchen knife in one hand, looking somewhat troubled.
"Don't tell me you feel guilty about not doing the housework? I don't mind, so you can rest after we eat."
"...That's not it..."
"I am seventeen years old, after all," Ayako-chan said in a serious tone.
"What about it?"
"...At this age, I'm not attending school, I'm not working, and I'm not receiving vocational training... If I don't do housework, I'll perfectly fit the definition of a NEET..."
"...Ah."
"Even if I wanted to go to school, the other me is already attending..."
That was true.
Unless I prepared an ID for this Ayako-chan, she wouldn't even be able to work a part-time job.
"...That's why me doing housework is a matter of the heart. It concerns human dignity."
"Is it really that exaggerated of a thing?"
"Please let me do it. I don't want to join the ranks of those three katakana characters."
Looking at her desperate expression, it seemed better to just let her do as she pleased.
I said, "Then I'll leave it to you, Ayako-chan," and made my way into the living room.
On the bed, as expected, the unemployed teenage Angelica was taking a pleasant nap.
She was in a position resembling the katakana character 'Hi', hugging a pillow.
One of the shoulder straps of her camisole had slipped down sloppily.
Wearing light clothing in a heated room and falling into a deep sleep on springy bedding—one could say she was fully enjoying modern civilization.
With a lifestyle like a pampered house cat, she certainly had the nerve to say she wanted to support me.
"You should be the one helping out more with the housework."
Angelica is the type who will do it if asked, but absolutely never does housework on her own.
Since she is an otherworldly Maiden, perhaps she has lived a life far removed from such things.
I sat on the edge of the bed and first attempted a gentle way to wake her.
"Ange, Ange."
I called her name while shaking her body.
However, there was a magnificent lack of response. Her slightly open mouth only emitted regular breathing sounds.
She was even drooling a little.
I wanted her to wake up so she could sense the Goblins once we ate, but...
It seems Angelica is the type with very deep sleep.
I didn't want to use this method, but it couldn't be helped.
I brought my mouth close to Angelica's ear and tried whispering with a dramatic performance.
"Uwah... This is no good, Ayako-chan...! Do you intend to become a mother at that age...!"
It felt gross even to me, but I tried adding a light gasp.
Just as planned, the effect was outstanding.
Angelica's eyes snapped wide open, and she bolted upright with such force it was as if there were springs installed in her spine.
"Ayako! And I believed in you!"
The Holy Maiden, with flames of anger burning in her green eyes, moved her neck from side to side.
There was nothing holy about her, nor did she look like a maiden.
How should I put it... she had a face that looked like she belonged in a messy, melodramatic soap opera for housewives.
"Good morning. You were sleeping soundly."
"...Huh?"
"You were having a strange dream," I lied to her. I am a bad adult.
"I-is that so? How embarrassing to have you see me like this..."
Angelica was bashfully fixing her shoulder strap.
"Um, did you just get home? Is it 'welcome home'?"
"Yeah, I'm home. L-look, I'm sorry to ask this just as you've woken up, but could you do me a favor?"
"...Do you want to take a bath with me? Or do you want to do a mixed bath?"
"Those mean the same thing. Besides, you're the one who wants to do that. Let's move the conversation forward."
Angelica placed the pillow on my lap and rested her head there as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"...Don't go back to sleep, okay?"
"I won't—!"
She reached out and touched my chin. The prickly sensation of my lower jaw was a favorite of Angelica's.
"I ran into Goblins in town earlier."
"Is that a metaphor for something?"
"No. Genuine, real Goblins. It seems they've been transforming into humans and blending in as ordinary people."
"Eeeh... I wonder how they managed to get in?"
Angelica pulled at the neckline of her camisole and suddenly thrust her arm inside.
Incredibly, she began scratching her breast right in front of Oyaji.
I couldn't help but look away.
Even if it was through cloth, I was hesitant to stare at an object that changed shape with every scratch.
I fixed my gaze on Angelica's face and continued the conversation.
"...So, I want you to help me search for Goblins this afternoon. You can do that, right? Surely your perception doesn't exclude demi-humans?"
"No problem. If it's a demi-human type enemy, they'll be displayed as red dots."
"Then it should be fine. ...Come to think of it, when we were searching for those ghosts last month, could you see them?"
I could hear the sound of her scratching her skin.
She was still scratching away.
"I could see a few of them... but, well. Because of Elsa-san, I think Father dislikes Goblins. But they are, um, neutral in terms of Attribute. It's hard to say, but they aren't such malicious existences. Only the exceptionally wicked individuals appear as a faint red. They have the same hue as human villains."
"I don't mind. Keep going."
"It's normal for a few villains to be mixed into human society, and above all, Ayako's impact was too large. I wasn't paying attention to the tiny, faint red spots. Because back then, we were searching for the white dots of spiritual bodies."
"Hmm, I see. I wonder if Gondo and his subordinates also look like faint red."
In short, with Angelica's skill, she cannot distinguish between humans with distorted hearts and demi-humans.
If that's the case, I can just supplement that with my Status Appraisal.
"It looks like we'll need to work together. Let's pull out the Goblins one by one, the two of us."
"Working together...!"
Angelica sat up and assumed a formal kneeling position.
"What a wonderful sound! Let's definitely do it!"
She clasped her hands together as if in prayer, looking completely motivated.
In her sparkling emerald eyes, the divinity truly becoming like a Holy Maiden had finally returned.