Chapter 291 - Temperance and the Devil
(1)
"Toya-kun, it's morning~"
When Airi whispered in my ear, my eyes opened, but my body still felt sluggish.
"The weather is nice today, so it's time for your daily routine~"
Knowing it was a futile resistance, I ignored Airi and went back to sleep.
"Ugh... here we go again."
Airi seemed to be thinking about something.But apparently, there was no need to think.
"I have a secret plan too, you know."
Saying that, Airi chomped down on my earlobe.I had expected her to do something to me, and I hugged her as if I had been waiting for it.
"You're the one who invited me, Airi!"
"Hey, you were listening, weren't you! Today is time for your daily routine."
That doesn't matter.I stood over Airi and started unbuttoning her pajamas.
"If it's no good~"
Despite her words, Airi didn't resist at all.At times like this, if you push through, you can win!Thinking that was apparently a mistake.
"Toya! You're troubling Airi-chan again, aren't you! Get up properly already!"
It seemed Mother had come.Mother doesn't come into the room right away. She just knocks, knock knock.
"See, Maya-san says so too."
Saying that, Airi slipped away from me, got up, and hugged me.
"Let me be clear, it's not that I dislike it. But lately, Toya-kun won't stop if I don't control him."
"And yet you chomped on my earlobe from the morning..."
"It's because you're a troublesome husband who won't wake up unless I do that~"
Saying that, Airi got out of bed and started changing.Having no choice, I also changed and prepared for my daily routine.As I was about to leave the room, Airi hugged me from behind and whispered in my ear.
"Today's class starts from second period."
That was like a code, meaning "You can take it easy this morning."It meant, since you have time, pay attention to me. No looking at your phone or the internet.I turned around to look at Airi, and she was smiling shyly.
"Got it."
Saying that, I left the house and started my daily routine.After finishing my routine, I took a shower.By the time I finished showering, breakfast was ready. I changed and ate breakfast.
"Hey, about what we talked about the other day..."
Father suddenly spoke up.
"I heard from Tosaka-san that the apple harvest time has been moved up. Apparently, they're harvesting at 3 PM today."
"Oh my, that's sudden."
I immediately understood that the true meaning of the words was something else.Disposal of the rotten fruit is at 3 PM today.
"Does the Katagiri family not eat things like apple pie?"
Airi asked.
"Well, the people in my house are omnivores, so we eat anything."
"I see. Maybe I'll buy some apples and make one next time~"
"Airi, you can make apple pie?"
Ponk
"I made one for you when I was in first year of middle school~ Don't you remember!"
"We did have that, didn't we~"
"Come to think of it, Toya-kun, you ate it like you weren't interested. Do you really dislike it?"
"This kid doesn't have likes or dislikes. He was probably happy that Airi-chan made it for him, but he was too shy and embarrassed to show it. He's always been like that."
"I see~"
"Th-thank you for the meal. Airi, if we don't hurry, we won't have time to relax, right?"
"Oh, right. Maya-san, I'll leave the rest to you."
"Alright, alright. Take your time~"
The time I was trying to keep hidden was apparently obvious to my parents, and I thought it would be awkward, but Airi didn't seem to feel that way.Airi came back from the shower and sat down next to me.I sent the information from earlier to Watanabe's team.
"Let's have a quick meeting at noon today. There's no time."
Watanabe-kun said.
"It's fine. My soldiers are already stationed at the police station."
Emi-san said.
"At 3 PM, Zen-kun should be in time too. Please use him."
As I was checking the messages, Airi pulled my arm.
"I told you we have plenty of time to relax."
"Ah, I just need to check this one message..."
My smartphone was taken away by Airi.
"Boo. I can just hear about this stuff at the meeting later."
"I'll do it while paying attention to you."
"That's impossible. You said you'd put your heart into it when you're with me!"
"I am putting my heart into it."
"Really?"
Airi grabbed my arm.
"Don't you notice when you look?"
"You haven't changed."
Also, there was no sign that her hair had been brushed.
"You can do whatever you want right now."
Rather, I could even feel an intention of "please do as you like."If I argue at times like this, Airi immediately gets in a bad mood.
"What a troublesome wife you are."
"You got my hopes up this morning, Toya-kun... Kya!"
I picked Airi up in a princess carry and gently placed her on the bed.
"You finally got gentle with me~"
I stripped off Airi's clothes, and then...
Airi was changing clothes and putting on makeup.I was fiddling with my smartphone.But when I happened to look at Airi, my eyes met hers, who was looking at me with a lonely expression.Airi hurriedly turned her gaze back to the mirror.She really is a troublesome wife.I approached Airi and hugged her from behind.
"Ah, no! Don't disturb my makeup!"
I was scolded by Airi.But she didn't seem to be seriously angry.
"So it's okay after your makeup is done?"
"...Yeah. But there's no time for that anymore, right?"
"There's enough time for some skinship with Airi."
"Yay~"
When Airi finished her makeup, I let her cuddle up to me while drinking cold coffee.When it was time, we both took our bags and went to school.After classes ended, it was lunch break.As I was eating my packed lunch in the cafeteria, everyone gathered around.Then we planned the afternoon operation.The ones to carry it out were the Sakai couple and the Ishihara couple.Going with too many people would just get in the way, so we decided to leave it to those four.There wasn't much we could do anyway.The soldiers of both couples would handle most of it.Once we captured the Pope and the High Priestess, we planned to take them to the usual villa belonging to Akira-san.
"Everyone else, avoid careless actions and be on guard for an attack."
Everyone nodded.
"Will the situation improve once we secure the two of them?"
Ishihara-kun asked.
"They seem to be close to the Emperor. The question is how much they'll talk, but..."
We won't know that until we ask.
"First, we secure them. I'm counting on you, Ishihara-kun and Sakai-kun."
"Zen-kun trained during summer break too. It'll be fine!"
Akira-san said confidently.Shouldn't those two start looking for jobs already?
(2)
"Kosei, it's morning."
When I woke up, Naru was changing.I checked the time and started changing too.Meanwhile, Naru was stuffing textbooks and notebooks into her bag.When we were ready, we moved to the dining room.After finishing breakfast, we got into the shuttle car and went to school.When we got out of the car at school, I could hear whispers of gossip.Both Naru and I were used to it by now.What worried me was whether Naru was still being bullied.Naru wasn't a very sociable girl by nature, but she would just sit alone in the classroom reading a novel.However, no one ever laid a hand on Naru.In both a good and bad way.Everyone ignored Naru.But that didn't discourage Naru.I was talking with Naru on the rooftop during lunch break.Around us, upperclassmen and classmates were making a ruckus.
"They're going to secure the new 'Pope' today, apparently."
"Ah, I saw it on my phone."
It must be Unity's active unit, no doubt.
"...Kosei, how long are you planning to keep it hidden?"
Naru asked.
"What?"
"'IRIS'..."
That was our final trump card.
"Right now, Kosei is the only one who can access IRIS."
"..."
"IRIS, whose existence we've hidden by using other important files as decoys."
"I told you the code. I just want to see how they'll find their way to it."
"Don't you trust Unity, Kosei? They risked their lives to save us."
"You're right, Naru. That's exactly why I don't want to hand it over so easily."
"What do you mean?"
Naru looked at me.
"If they chase the Emperor, they'll inevitably reach IRIS. I'll tell them when the time comes."
"Isn't that time now? We're about to corner Urbanity."
"Not yet. They still have the Hierophant. If the Hierophant learns of IRIS's existence, they'll break through the defenses immediately. All I can do is focus their attention on the conflict between Urbanity and Unity and hide IRIS's existence."
"Can you be sure they don't know where IRIS is?"
"If they knew its location, they wouldn't be targeting us, right?"
"Shouldn't you tell them, then?"
"...It's sunny and hot today. Even though it's already October."
"?"
I lay down on the spot.Naru also sat down silently.I rested my head on Naru's lap.
"Hey, Kosei!?"
"I miss the times we spent like this."
"...Can we go back?"
"We'll get it back. For the sake of my beautiful lady."
When the warning bell rang, we returned to the classroom.The afternoon classes were about to start.The significance of IRIS's existence, which they cling to.It's like a forbidden fruit, something those in the underground organizations would desire more than anything.It's something that brings misfortune to those who hold it, like a cursed diamond.
The last treasure left by God.
It's not just Urbanity that wants it.I have to handle it carefully.It might be dangerous because only we know about it, but precisely because it's only us, our safety is guaranteed.It's not that I distrust Unity.I want to bet on them.Someday, they will reach the existence of IRIS.At that time, they will obtain true victory.At that time, I think I will hand it over to them.It's not that I don't trust them.It's because I believe they can reach it that I deliberately don't tell them.And so the afternoon passed.
(3)
I had my part-time job covered on short notice.
"Leave Blue Bird to me! I'll work hard for Sakai-kun's share too. You helped me out when my father was hospitalized."
Ichinose-san said that and saw me off.Me, Akira-chan, the Ishihara couple, and a few soldiers were staking out the front of the police station.The watch was rotated every hour.If one person waited for a long time, it would look suspicious.And then it was 3 PM as planned.
"The target is leaving the station now."
Akira-chan and I focused on the entrance.A man and woman around our age were leaving the police station accompanied by an older man.The three of them got into a black sedan and left the station.We began the pursuit.We didn't know the destination.After all, we didn't even know which hideout they were heading to.If we don't know which hideout they're heading to, we just have to specify the destination for them.That was Tada-kun's idea.As he said, Tada-kun skillfully manipulated the traffic lights and guided them to an uninhabited housing complex.And when they approached a certain intersection, a wagon blocked the road ahead.Three men got out of the sedan.Including the driver, there were five people on board.Two of them were the Pope and the High Priestess, so the numbers matched perfectly.The three men were complaining to the wagon driver.The people in the wagon were, of course, Akira-chan's soldiers.Ishihara-kun got out of the car and approached the men.
"Zen-kun, you should go too!"
Told by Akira-chan, I got out of the car and approached the men.Ishihara-kun then got into the sedan and slowly backed it up.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
I grabbed the guns of the two men who were about to pull out their guns and shoot.Tokarevs. People in this line of work sure like them...I've seen them many times during training too.I know because I've seen them.The structure, the mechanism...I gripped both pistols with both hands.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Even if you ask who I am, I'm just a student. How about putting away these dangerous things and having a little chat?"
"You fucking kidding me?!"
The two men pulled the triggers, but the guns in question were gone.Why? Because I disassembled them.I smiled at the two men staring blankly at the scattered parts.
"Unthinkable, right? A university student doing something like this. You're having a bad dream. Please think of it that way. I'm going to erase the memories before and after this."
Saying that, I cleanly punched both of them in the face with my fists.Their heads hit the car window, and the two men lost consciousness.
"They say if you faint cleanly, you lose your memory."
I explained that to the two men, who probably couldn't hear me.The problem was the last one.One man kept his distance and aimed his pistol at me.
"I think doing something like that would cause various problems..."
"Who the hell are you guys?!"
"As I just explained, I'm a university student... More importantly, that's a problem, so how about putting the gun away?"
"Don't fuck with me, are you mocking me?!"
"Quite the opposite. That's not a toy for threatening people like you think it is, you know?"
"If you know that, then put your hands up... Ugh."
The man suddenly lost consciousness and fell.Probably because a soldier in the car shot him with a tranquilizer gun.We left the three unconscious men behind and sped away in the car.On the way, we met up with Ishihara-kun at an embankment, moved the two of them to the wagon, and abandoned the sedan.We took a detour to the villa in Beppu and urged the two of them to go inside.Akira-chan was contacting Katagiri-kun and the others on her smartphone.Ishihara-kun and I stood guard in front of the entrance.
"How was it? Actual combat?"
Ishihara-kun asked.
"I think I'm better off as an ordinary person."
"I agree."
Saying that, we both laughed.
(4)
"Emperor! They failed to capture the Pope and the High Priestess!!"
Karin's face was pale as she said that.
"The Hierophant is coming, apparently."
Karin was trembling.Well, if we failed, we'd be eliminated. That was also my responsibility for threatening them.That's why I didn't want to get involved with Unity.And I didn't want Unity to know.Did Unity know? About the existence of IRIS.Leaving that as is would cause trouble.As far as I know, the only one who can access it is the Warlock.I heard the quiet sound of a car.I looked out the window.A man in a white suit and black tie was ringing the doorbell.
"Empress! Answer it."
"R-right."
Had she calmed down a bit? Karin headed for the entrance.
"Kyaa!"
I heard Karin's scream.
The sound of footsteps thundered up the stairs and approached my room on the second floor.Then the door opened, and standing there were Karin, her arms restrained and a gun muzzle pressed to her temple, the man in the white suit from before, and two men in black suits.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Does the name 'Devil' ring a bell?"
"...What does that Devil want?"
"Don't be so wary. It's just business."
"Business?"
"Yeah, it's nothing more than a transaction."
"What's the deal?"
The man in the white suit signaled, and the man in the black suit pulled Karin's hair up.
"It hurts! Let me go!!"
The man in the white suit, who called himself the Devil, alternately aimed his gun at me and Karin.
"If you had to discard either you or the Empress's card, which one would you discard?"
"Stop! Don't lay a hand on Karin!"
"Don't you think you should know your place? Emperor."
"I-I'm sorry. Karin hasn't done anything wrong. I'll take responsibility."
"Koki!!"
Karin shouted.The man in the white suit grinned.
"Thirteen days... I'll wait for your answer."
"Thirteen days?"
"If you can obtain new negotiation material in that time, I'll add it to your options."
"So me and Karin will be saved?"
"Yeah, I'll save you. And the negotiation material is the 'Pope' and the 'High Priestess'."
"Wh-what...?!"
"What do you say? Will you take this deal?"
"...I understand. I'll manage somehow."
The Devil told them to release Karin, and the man in the black suit did so.
"The deadline is thirteen days. Don't forget."
Saying that, the men left.After watching the car drive away, Karin said to me.
"You're not really going to sell out the Pope and the others, are you?"
"...It's the only way for us to survive."
First, I have to find those two!
"That's why I told you not to join a group like this! And now you're agreeing to the deal."
"I didn't have a choice. If I hadn't complied, I'd be in a prison cell by now."
"That's because you did bad things!"
"You were satisfied with this life too, weren't you!"
When I yelled, Karin flinched.
"It's okay. There's definitely a way to survive."
"I'm against sacrificing those two, you know?"
"All we need is to get that thing. That thing..."
If I could just get my hands on the "trump card" that the Warlock has...
"Hey, let's run away together? Somewhere no one can see us..."
"Where in Japan is there a place like that!?"
I looked outside through a gap in the curtains.I could see men in black suits keeping watch around the area.There's no way we can escape.And even if there was such a place, I'd rather die than live a miserable life.
"What about the police...?"
"You know from the Pope's case that the cops are in their pocket!"
I noticed Karin was trembling.I grabbed her shoulders and said clearly.
"Don't worry. I'll protect you no matter what."
"I don't want you to go alone, Koki."
"I know. I'll figure something out..."
I desperately thought of a way for both of us to survive.I have to do something...That guy is serious.I decided to start by thinking about where those two would go.Those thirteen days that followed were the beginning of our end.
(4)
We were at the villa in Beppu.Although we hadn't restrained the Pope and the High Priestess, they were still restless.Were they going to be disposed of by us?They probably had that thought.
"We just protected you. Don't worry."
That alone didn't seem to earn their trust.Then Kosei spoke.
"It was the Emperor who asked us to kidnap you, right?"
They flinched at that name.
"Did the Emperor say anything?"
"'If it's too hard to find them, just get rid of them all and everything will be buried in darkness'..."
"He's thinking in terms of the final stage."
Kosei laughed.
"If we disappear without a trace, the Emperor and Empress will be in trouble."
"What do you mean?"
"They'll have failed. And what awaits them when they fail is..."
"The Death's purge?"
When I said that, the two of them froze.The basic structure of the organization seemed similar to Egoist's.But there was one thing that bothered me.
"I have a question."
"What?"
"You seem to be worried about the Emperor and the Empress. What is your relationship with them?"
"?"
"No, it's a bad habit of mine. I get hung up on small details..."
Ponk
"I told you to stop quoting dramas!"
I was scolded by Airi.But the Pope and the others answered me.
"The Emperor and the Empress are our friends. Wouldn't you worry about your friends?"
"Even if it puts you in danger?"
"Of course! You guys must care about your comrades too, right!?"
"Indeed."
"One more thing. You two are lovers, right? Are the Emperor and the Empress the same?"
"Yeah, that's right."
They admitted it easily.If that's the case, it's easy to imagine how things will develop from here.I told Ishihara-kun to give them back their smartphones.Of course, not forgetting to infect them with Makoto-kun's special virus.
"Aren't you worried we'll call for help?"
The Pope asked.
"No. If you did that, you'd be in more danger than if you were in prison."
"I see..."
"But there's no advantage to giving them their smartphones!"
Emi-san said.
"We'll create that advantage now."
I answered, and then made a request to the Pope and the High Priestess.
"I want you to negotiate using that. On the condition of handing over your own custody, I want to know the reason for your obsession with Kosei and the others..."
"We went to all the trouble of kidnapping them, and now you're giving them back!?"
Akira-san protested.
"If my intuition is correct, the Emperor and Empress should be panicking right now. They might even be making a deal with the Devil."
And seeing their reactions, I was convinced. The Emperor and the others would never agree to that demand now. I felt that Kosei was the card for that.The two of them made the phone call as instructed.We had brought them here blindfolded so they wouldn't know their location.The Pope made the phone call as instructed.But the negotiation ended in failure.
"Don't come back now. He said if we come back, we'll be eliminated."
Everyone froze at the Pope's words.The people in front of us might die. That anxiety probably won out.But I was convinced. As I thought, the bond between the four of them was real.Wouldn't it be dangerous if even this exchange was intercepted?I asked the Pope.
"Do you know where those two are?"
"No, we don't know either."
I looked at Makoto.Makoto gave me a thumbs up.
"Thank you. Kosei, I'd like to talk in another room for a bit."
Kosei probably expected that request. He complied with my demand.In the other room came me, Kosei, Naru, Makoto-kun, and Watanabe-kun.Once we entered the other room, I asked Kosei.
"Let's stop with the secrets. What is this important file you have?"
Surprisingly, Kosei began to speak easily.
"I thought you'd figure it out. It's a system called IRIS."
"IRIS?"
"It's the secret codename where Egoist's secret files are sleeping. Now that the Gods have been captured, only Naru and I can access it."
"What kind of information is in there?"
"Haven't you noticed?"
Saying that, Kosei grinned.
"How do we break into it?"
"Can't you break into it easily, Makoto-kun? It's sleeping in the lowest layer of Egoist's server. It's a secret codename that no one knows. Surprisingly, if you leave it out in the open, no one notices. In fact, until I mentioned it, no one even paid attention to its existence."
Makoto was already searching Egoist's server.
"The password is Cotoneaster. I can open it right away."
Makoto was surprised when he saw the system.
"Y-you knew about this from the beginning?"
"Yeah, I had a feeling ever since I found out it was related to the Sudo Group."
From Makoto's reaction and Kosei's answer, I could imagine the contents.The question was what to do from here?Our hand was complete.
"Makoto, were you able to pinpoint the Emperor's location from that call earlier?"
"Yeah, the reverse trace was successful. It's a residential area near the local university."
"Then Watanabe-kun, you guys go back ahead. I want to talk with Kosei and Naru, the three of us."
"Understood..."
Saying that, the two of them left the room.Then I immediately spoke to Kosei and the others.
"The Takahashi Group and the Sudo Group are in a cooperative relationship. Is that right?"
When I asked, Kosei nodded silently.IRIS is the decisive evidence to support that. It's probably the last gift left by Sora Takahashi.
"So, there's no material for a deal now, is there? What are you two going to do?"
"It's not two people, it's four."
"Huh?"
To Kosei, who asked back, I said, "Let's go back soon," and we returned from the other room.
"What are we going to do now?"
Watanabe-kun asked.
"The bond between the four of them is strong. They're surely all worried about each other."
"Yeah."
"Then it would be better to shelter all four of them together."
"You don't mean..."
Makoto said.
"Let's take the initiative. We'll detain the Emperor and the Empress."
"Is something like that possible!?"
Emi-san said.
"I think it's a race against time."
I said that, then looked at the Pope and the others and spoke.
"Your custody and the Emperor's lives are being used as bargaining chips. Is that right?"
"...Yeah."
The Pope answered.
"Since we're at this point, why don't you tell us everything about your relationship?"
When I said that, the two of them began to speak.The four of them had been close friends since their university days.That the Emperor had joined a suspicious group called Egoist. That it was because the Emperor's good nature had caught their eye.That when Egoist was arrested, the Emperor had wandered around his friends' houses.That even so, he was found by the executives of Urbanity and forced into Urbanity. And that the other three were dragged into it as well, probably as a leash for the Emperor.That the Emperor hesitated to move against Unity, but judged that leaving Kosei and Naru alone was dangerous.The rest was as everyone knew.We listened to the story in silence.
"We might have heard something we shouldn't have."
Watanabe-kun scratched his head.
"But now that we've heard it, we have no choice but to act."
Ishihara-kun said.
"If that's the case, it can't be helped."
Emi-san said.Everyone's resolve seemed firm.
"Are you guys going to help us?"
The Pope said.
"Unity can't just ignore a story like this."
When Watanabe-kun said that, everyone nodded.
"So, you have a plan in mind, right? Toya."
When Watanabe-kun said that, I answered with a smile.
"I haven't thought of anything as grand as a plan."
"What do you mean?"
"We'll just kidnap them, literally. By breaking into their house."
"So that means it's Ishihara-kun and Sakai-kun's turn again?"
Watanabe-kun said that and looked at the two of them.
"I'll do anything if it helps." said Ishihara-kun.
"Well, given the circumstances, I guess it can't be helped." said Sakai-kun.
"The question is when to do it?" Watanabe-kun said, and I answered, "I'll adjust to your schedules."
"I'm fine anytime."
"Well, I just have to take another day off from my part-time job."
The two of them said they were fine anytime.Then the sooner the better.
"Then, let's do it tomorrow evening."
When I said that, everyone nodded.On the way back, we had a meeting at a family restaurant.
"Can we trust what those two said?"
Makoto asked.
"I don't think they were in a position to lie."
When I answered that, everyone was convinced.
"What will we do after we detain the Emperor?"
"We'll just smoke them out one by one."
When Emi-san said that, I answered.I don't know how far it will reach, but I'll do what I can.I finally got my hands on the Emperor.I won't let him get away this time.
"By the way, Makoto, how far have you gotten into that IRIS thing?"
"Just the surface, but it's some pretty dangerous files, you know?"
I see. It might be usable as negotiation material.
"Makoto... there's something I want to ask you."
"I'm prioritizing copying the files. Don't worry."
"No, that's not it..."
I told Makoto the details of the plan.
"So we're smoking out the enemy, huh?"
"Yeah, can you do it?"
"That's easy. Don't worry!"
Makoto said that.I was confident the plan would work. A trap that a confident hacker is most likely to fall for.Makoto, who had fallen for the same trick before, was proof of that.
"This is a case I want to wrap up by the end of the month. That event is coming up next month, right?"
When Akira-san said that, everyone let out a sound as if remembering.
"An event?"
Kosei asked.It was Kosei and Naru's first time, huh.
"It's a wonderful event~"
Airi said.After roughly finishing the meeting, we headed home.
"Hey? Toya-kun."
"What's wrong?"
"How did you notice the relationship between the four of them?"
"I guess it was intuition when I talked to them."
I explained to Airi that I was just fishing for information.
"But the Emperor must be amazing too, right? For keeping the three of them together."
"Yeah, he's someone I'd like to meet and talk to."
At that moment, I happened to look behind me.I could clearly tell.Maybe they were trying not to be noticed, but I could clearly tell.By one car that had been closely following us for a while.It wasn't there when we left the family restaurant in Beppu.If we were being tailed, it must have been after we entered the city?We headed home as we were.As I was about to park, it quickly drove away.I kept quiet about it to Airi.I thought there was no need to mention it since they hadn't done anything.Getting Airi upset wasn't a good idea.Probably, the enemy's aim was to shake us up.Now that they know our address, there's no need to panic over a tail.
"I wonder what that car was?"
Airi seemed to have noticed too.
"It's just a shake-down. No need to worry."
When I told Airi that, she only answered, "Yeah."When I sent a message, it seemed everyone had experienced the same thing.
"We should act carefully, right?" Watanabe-kun said.
"On the contrary, we should act just as we have been," I said.
I'll take away that composure of yours soon enough.Thinking that, I rested for the night.