Ch.184[Episode 184] Anomaly: Clue

Two people rolled out of a gate that suddenly appeared on an empty wall.

It was Sir Dominic and Unryu Hime.

“…Sir Dominic?”

Senator Muscleman muttered in disbelief.

“…Seems we’ve arrived at the right place.”

Sir Dominic stood up, rotating his shoulders.

He didn’t appear to have any major issues.

Hime nodded.

She kept her head down in embarrassment, occasionally glancing at Sir Dominic.

“You’ve joined us at just the right time.”

Sir Dominica said to Sir Dominic.

“I found decisive evidence.”

Sir Dominica waved a piece of paper.

A paper with Miss Sweet-Sweet’s home address.

“Hmm. Unfortunately, there’s no good evidence here. Just suspicions that someone deliberately manipulated the weather system, and proof that someone damaged it.”

Sir Dominic thought of v.a.l.l.o.c.

Since v.a.l.l.o.c. was there at the time, he would gladly serve as a witness if evidence was needed.

“Someone damaged it?”

“Yes. I couldn’t see exactly who it was, but I clearly saw someone throwing something to break the weather system.”

Sir Dominic nodded.

“So that’s why candy rained down like hail.”

Senator Muscleman nodded.

“We need to catch Miss Sweet-Sweet as quickly as possible.”

“But candy is still pouring outside.”

Sir Dominica slightly pulled back the curtain of a window in the hallway.

An enormous amount of candy was falling, with shattered pieces scattered on the ground like sharp glass.

“Going out is a problem, and so is what’s falling.”

Sir Dominica pondered.

Just then.

“Wait a moment.”

Sir Dominic suddenly approached Sir Dominica, opened the window, and extended his arm outside.

Numerous candies fell on Sir Dominic’s arm with dull thuds.

“…Are you crazy?”

Sir Dominica looked at Sir Dominic with surprised eyes.

But Sir Dominic remained steadfast, simply enduring the candy impacts.

“I see.”

Sir Dominic nodded and withdrew his arm.

He seemed to have realized something.

“This doesn’t hurt much.”

Sir Dominic said.

“The damage is greater than our recovery rate, but we can endure it for about 3-4 hours.”

“Moreover…”

Sir Dominic changed his trait to [Steampunk] on the spot.

His armor made a clicking sound as it transformed into a steam-powered suit.

“The ground isn’t much of an obstacle either.”

“Ah.”

Sir Dominica smiled faintly.

That’s right.

Having become somewhat accustomed to Gachaland, they had forgotten that Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica were tanks, and that the damage from this terrifying candy hail was just a number determined by the system.

“Wait, then that bloodied angel-“

“Angels are usually support classes, aren’t they? Support classes typically have low health and defense, so they probably couldn’t withstand this damage.”

Senator Muscleman also extended his arm out the window.

The candy hitting with a dull thud was painful, but not unbearable.

“Then is everything resolved now?”

Sir Dominic said.

“I don’t know where the address is, but if we stop at buildings along the way to recover, we should be able to make it.”

“…I suppose so.”

Sir Dominica calculated quickly.

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica could certainly withstand this hail.

Alice was affiliated with Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica so she wouldn’t take damage, but Hime was the concern…

Sir Dominica glanced at Hime.

Hime was just staring at Sir Dominic, seemingly unaware of the situation.

“…Ah.”

Finally noticing Sir Dominica’s gaze, Hime let out a short exclamation and said as if making an excuse:

“W-well, I’m a ninja. I’m confident in my evasion skills.”

Hime bowed her head shyly.

Her face turned so red that it was clearly more than ordinary embarrassment.

“We still haven’t reached our quitting time.”

Senator Muscleman said, ruffling Pandemonium’s hair.

“Technically, the opposing senator is late because of the weather, but anyway, we’ll stay here.”

“Ah, Uncle! Stop it!”

Pandemonium scratched her disheveled hair vigorously and snapped at Senator Muscleman.

Senator Muscleman smiled, revealing his icily white teeth.

“Well then, please catch Miss Sweet-Sweet.”

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica nodded.

Alice thought she should stay quiet since she didn’t understand anything, and Hime… it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.

…

In the Executive branch lobby.

Sir Dominic looked outside through the glass door with a clear view of the exterior.

“It’s more intimidating than I expected.”

The candy hail that had been shattering with sharp sounds just moments ago had changed to dull thuds as the pieces accumulated.

As they piled up, something seemed to have gone wrong—pieces stuck together, forming sharp obstacles like thumbtacks or nails.

Sir Dominic cautiously opened the glass door and took one step outside.

Fortunately, thanks to his steam-powered suit, he was safe from the sharp ground.

“I seem to be fine.”

Sir Dominic returned to the lobby.

“Wait, let me try too.”

Sir Dominica also took one step outside.

Currently, Sir Dominica was wearing combat boots with high heels for some reason, which allowed her to ignore the damage from the sharp candy field.

“Ouch!”

A sudden cry from beside them.

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica turned simultaneously toward the sound.

“Th-this is really sharp.”

Hime pulled out a small candy shard that had pierced her foot, smiling awkwardly.

She didn’t seem seriously injured, but could she really cross this treacherous path of thorns?

“P-perhaps Lady Hime should stay here?”

“What? N-no. I can manage just fine.”

Hime suddenly went outside the glass door.

She moved gracefully, lightly stepping on the candy spikes on the ground while avoiding the candies falling from the sky.

“See?”

Hime said as she came back inside.

Sir Dominic nodded, impressed by Hime’s amazing feat.

He believed that at that level, she could certainly pass through this candy hail.

“Good. Then let’s go now.”

Thick steam puffed out from the steam engine on Sir Dominic’s back.

As Sir Dominic took a step forward, a flag planted firmly in the ground.

And so, with damage reduction applied, Sir Dominic, Sir Dominica, Alice, and Hime set out.

…

“Where are we?”

Sir Dominica looked around and asked.

Currently, Sir Dominic’s party had taken shelter under the eaves of a store near Miss Sweet-Sweet’s address.

Candy rain was still falling from the sky, and perhaps because of this, internet and phone calls were still not working.

“I think… it would be best to ask someone.”

Sir Dominic pointed to the store right behind them.

It was an elegant Rococo-style café selling cakes and tea.

“We should also take some time to recover our health.”

As he said this, Sir Dominic glanced at Hime.

Alice wasn’t affected since Sir Dominic took damage for her, but Hime looked visibly tired from concentrating on dodging candy all the way here.

“…Let’s do that.”

Sir Dominica nodded.

In truth, Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica were fine except for losing one health bar, but they felt sorry seeing Hime’s condition.

So Sir Dominic, Sir Dominica, Alice, and Hime entered the café.

A light chime rang as they entered.

“Welcome to Café Rococo.”

A somewhat vacant-looking but cute employee with sprouts growing from her head greeted them.

“I never thought we’d have customers in this weather.”

The employee approached Sir Dominic’s group as they sat down and made small talk.

After telling them to come to the counter to order, she served them each a glass of lemon water and turned to leave.

“Excuse me, I have a question.”

Sir Dominic quickly called out to the employee.

The employee made a troubled face at Sir Dominic’s words.

“Um, customer? If you’re going to ask for my number or ask me out, that’s a bit—”

“No, do you know this address?”

Sir Dominic took the paper from Sir Dominica and showed it to the employee.

The employee made a vacant sound like “Was I being too conceited?” and took the paper to look at the address.

“Oh, here.”

The employee’s eyes widened as if she recognized something.

“This… is our building’s address.”

Looking at the details, she blinked and said it was on the second floor.

“Second floor?”

Sir Dominica exclaimed in surprise.

“The darkest place is under the lamp.”

Sir Dominic uttered a phrase he had heard somewhere.

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica both looked up at the ceiling without prompting.

So Miss Sweet-Sweet’s house was right above them.

“By the way, aren’t you going to order?”

“Ah.”

Sir Dominic made a dumb sound.

“Oh, we should order. I’ll have an iced Americano.”

“I’ll have a Gacha Latte.”

“Strawberry banana shake for me!”

“Caramel macchiato, tall size with whipped cream and frappuccino chips on top. Oh, and unfermented cream, please.”

As everyone ordered their coffee one by one, all eyes turned to Sir Dominic when his elaborate order came.

“…Why are you all looking at me like that?”

Sir Dominic said, seemingly perplexed.

He was just using what he had learned before.

Unexpectedly, Sir Dominic had become more familiar with Gachaland than anyone else.