Ch.92Chapter 14. Accident (7)

I’m not sure why… or if I should say it like that.

Actually, I thought the manager might say something today. I figured he wouldn’t ask for details, but after seeing Koko’s behavior today, he seemed to be thinking quite a lot.

However, I never expected that “something” would be letting us finish work early.

The manager… well, he’s not a stingy person. When someone needs time off, he usually lets them take it without much verification. He doesn’t even dock their pay.

In my case, I felt a bit guilty for taking so many days off, but I later found out that other part-timers also frequently took time off, didn’t show up without notice, or just quit altogether.

Apparently Shii is the most diligent worker among us.

But even so, he doesn’t usually end work early.

He’s the type who sits there with the face of a low-level civil servant who reluctantly comes to work every day, does just enough work, and when closing time comes, he cleans up, locks the door, and leaves.

Yet today, that same manager announced he would end work about two hours early.

At first, I thought it might be because of me. I wondered if he was being considerate after seeing Koko, but it seemed more like his own issue.

Judging by his reddened nose, something about Koko’s and my relationship must have triggered some memory from his past. Perhaps he just lost the will to work today.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah…”

His voice was usually somewhat deflated when responding, but today it seemed particularly so.

…While I felt a bit sorry for the manager, thanks to him I had some extra time. Now I could have dinner at a more reasonable hour instead of very late at night.

Actually, we did have meal breaks during work hours. It’s just that there wasn’t much time. That particular time was especially busy, so I couldn’t sit down and eat comfortably while being conscious of others watching.

Perhaps the reason I ate dinner with Shii every evening was to properly fill my stomach that I couldn’t satisfy earlier.

“Sorry, Shii. Today too…”

“It’s fine, senior.”

Shii responded cheerfully to my apology.

“Since we finished early today, I can spend more time with my brother!”

I see.

Shii’s face was so bright when she said that, it didn’t seem like she was just trying to comfort me. Maybe she would have actually been disappointed if I had invited her to dinner.

After parting with the brightly smiling Shii, I boarded the subway with Koko and Yuka.

By the way, those two really stayed at the café the entire time I was working.

To be honest, I was a bit conscious of the gazes from my coworkers.

Waiting at a friend’s workplace until they get off? That can happen. Back in college, I sometimes arrived about 10 minutes before a friend’s shift ended, sat there, and then went out drinking together when they finished. And it wasn’t just me—a bunch of classmates would go together.

But arriving when someone starts work and spending money continuously to avoid being conspicuous until they finish?

Honestly, that’s beyond mere stubbornness. To be frank, they probably spent more than what I earned from today’s work.

Perhaps that’s why the manager seriously misunderstood something today. Koko is smart and learns well, but her behavior is still childlike.

Did it look like Koko was throwing a tantrum about coming?

“…”

For a while, we stood in silence, looking up at the darkened sky visible through the train windows.

Anyway, when we get home today, we’ll spend quite some time talking about various things until tomorrow morning. There was no need to force conversation right now.

I was relieved to see that Koko had softened her attitude somewhat while staying by my side today.

Perhaps she felt reassured after seeing that I was really just working? Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be thinking seriously about working and earning money yet.

Getting to Yuka’s shrine from my workplace was much faster than going to my home. This was true even if you replaced walking time with bus time.

“Let’s eat first and then talk.”

Yuka said.

I felt relieved seeing her expression had softened somewhat. Spending time with Koko really does seem effective for finding peace of mind. Though honestly, there were times when I wondered if she was being too influenced by Kuro.

“I’ll prepare it. Just wait.”

“Ah, okay.”

I nodded as Yuka said that and headed to the kitchen.

Grandfather wasn’t home yet. Is he still at the shrine? It seems too late for that.

…Oh, that’s right.

I was found collapsed in Ota Ward.

I don’t know exactly how far this family’s sphere of activity extends, but it probably covers at least this ward.

Being attacked and knocked down by the radical faction is one thing, and the freight car I was looking for was also problematic.

I’ve caused trouble again.

“Kotone?”

When I made a gloomy expression, Koko tilted her head and called my name.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

I answered and patted her head as she asked with an innocent expression.

The gloom might not have completely left my face, as Koko continued to look somewhat worried.

Really, what am I doing?

I don’t know what I’m doing, showing such emotions in front of someone much younger than me.

Is my difficulty controlling emotions because I’ve been influenced by the children around me after just a few months in this world?

This is troublesome.

*

In the end, the three of us ate together.

As always, the food at Yuka’s house was delicious.

Most of the dishes I make at home have bean sprouts as the main ingredient. While bean sprouts themselves are quite tasty, they’re not as delicious as sukiyaki filled with meat.

“Mmm!”

Koko, with eyes sparkling brightly, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the food.

Though Koko eats even unappetizing food with gusto, I wonder if she understands the concept of “more delicious.”

Since Koko might grow more or perhaps just age, I’m not sure exactly how food affects her. I only know that she needs nutrients because she was stealing food regularly even before taking this form.

“Meow.”

Kuro prowled around our feet, meowing as if smelling the meat, but we couldn’t give human food to a cat. We compensated by giving Kuro a treat after dinner.

Filling my stomach with meat made my mind a bit drowsy.

And that drowsiness was quite effective, making my heart somewhat peaceful too. At least I wouldn’t need to be afraid in front of Yuka.

After dinner, we went up to Yuka’s room.

Yuka sat formally on the bed, and I sat formally in front of her.

“Alright.”

Yuka took a small breath and said that, looking straight at me.

“Woo?”

Koko sat below the bed, resting her upper body on it like a student leaning on a desk at school, and made that sound while watching us.

Koko should… hear this too, right? I wasn’t cold-hearted enough to chase Koko out of the room in this situation.

Hearing Koko’s voice, Yuka’s resolve almost crumbled for a moment, but she cleared her throat and spoke again.

“Alright, tell me in more detail what happened.”

So I did.

I explained how I borrowed the power of a spirit to secretly observe the house, allowing me to explore inside through Chi’s eyes. Meanwhile, Kosuzu appeared with Waitley, and I was attacked.

I also explained in more detail who Kosuzu was. Yuka understood perfectly when I described her as “Kagami’s older sister with an even worse personality.”

“She sounds like a dangerous woman.”

Yuka didn’t seem to have much information either. Is it because she’s a being who “broke away” recently?

It’s not easy to completely understand the internal affairs of a secretive cult organization.

“Let me tell you first, there was quite a commotion at the crime scene. Blood was found that wasn’t there before. We wondered what it was, and it turned out to be your blood.”

“…”

I had nothing to say.

“I’ll have to report this.”

Yuka looked up slightly at the empty space, organizing her thoughts.

“So, what was your initial reason for suspecting that incident?”

Though I couldn’t openly say I could see the future, I decided to share my conjectures.

“Because there was a fire in Ota Ward.”

“In Ota Ward… why?”

She was asking why I found a fire in Ota Ward suspicious.

“The shrine where you live is here.”

Yes.

In the original work, as far as I had read, there wasn’t much continuity between incidents. But if I had to find a common thread, all incidents occurred in places related to Sasaki and people around him.

Ota Ward is where Yuka’s shrine is located. If an incident with characteristics similar to a freight car’s habits occurred there, I couldn’t help but be suspicious.

And I added my own speculation:

“Why does it matter that our shrine is here? Even if it really was the work of a freight car, it could be coincidental.”

“Kosuzu was here too.”

That’s how I answered Yuka’s questioning.

Yes, Kosuzu was there too.

Judging by her attitude, it seemed like she had been following “me,” but if so, there’s something strange.

I’m rarely alone. I don’t just mean when I’m with friends. There are definitely people following me, knowingly or unknowingly.

Even if I have no intention of delving deep into the cult, my existence alone makes me quite important to them. At least I’m not someone who should be taken by Kosuzu. Especially recently, my value has increased due to Koko’s existence.

In such a situation, following me is somewhat dangerous, even with an invisible monster. Now that Kagami knows Kosuzu has taken an interest in me, he won’t just sit idle.

Plus, I have the ability to sense when yokai-like beings come near.

So how did Kosuzu manage to ambush me?

It’s just my speculation, but it was probably because I happened to be alone in a secluded place in Ota Ward.

Yes, Kosuzu was in Ota Ward. And she’s likely connected to that freight car incident.

Up to the part I had read, [Tokyo Slayers] was structured like a collection of chronological short stories sharing the same world and characters.

But as part of a series, it’s important to have something that “ties together” all these supernatural phenomena. While there are light novels with purely anthology-style structures, given the background I’ve seen here, there must be one entity behind the incidents.

I think that’s Kosuzu.

“You didn’t go there knowing Kosuzu would be there. You went looking for evidence of a freight car first, and then encountered Kosuzu. That’s not an answer to my question.”

At Yuka’s words, I fell into thought for a moment.

Then:

“That occult magazine. The one Senior Kaoru was reading.”

“…You came all this way because you believed that?”

“It’s more reliable than you might think.”

I answered sincerely.

It’s a magazine that recycles articles seasonally, makes forced speculations, and is more than half filled with nonsense. I know because I’ve read it.

But I was able to save Mako by seeing the list of victims in that magazine.

“At least it’s reliable when it comes to hurting victims’ feelings.”

“…”

Yuka couldn’t continue speaking for a while after my words.

“So…”

“Yokai each have something they’re fixated on. I wasn’t certain. I just asked, received an answer, and went to verify.”

“…”

At my words, Yuka closed her eyes and fell into thought for a moment.

When she opened her eyes, she didn’t seem to believe my story 100 percent.

But she didn’t seem to disbelieve it 100 percent either, which reassured me.

“So, let’s assume this Kosuzu person appeared in Ota Ward because of this shrine.”

Yuka spoke methodically.

“Does that mean she’s targeting me?”

“…Yes.”

That’s right.

If you can’t target your intended target, you go after someone else. Especially someone who could be taken hostage.

“Why specifically me?”

“…”

If I think about who has the best combat ability among the children around me, Yuka is definitely at the top. The sword she carries, called Muname, is very effective at cutting through yokai.

However.

That doesn’t mean the others are easy targets either.

Miura, Fukuda, and Yamashita live in Minato Ward. That’s one of the central areas in Japan. One wrong move could upset the government itself.

I’m not saying this just because it’s central. Ota Ward is also one of Tokyo’s 23 special wards and is important with its international airport.

But circumstantially, Miura’s father seems to be a high-ranking person in a government agency that confronts these kinds of threats. If they accidentally provoke him, it could be disastrous.

Kosuzu’s faction, which has separated from a cult that isn’t particularly large to begin with, wouldn’t be in an advantageous position to wage all-out war against a nation.

Moreover, the Yamashita family, a yakuza clan, is deeply connected to the cult, and the Fukuda family also seems to have some connection with Yamashita.

Hagiwara represents church forces. In terms of “religious power,” the church has an incomparably vast network compared to the cult. It’s essentially an international organization.

If they provoke them wrongly, numerous yokai hunters might flood into Japan.

As for Nakahara… honestly, she’s not particularly close to me. She’s Sasaki’s childhood friend, and while we’ve talked and played together, we don’t have much in common. From Kosuzu’s perspective, who values human life as much as flies, she’s not a particularly valuable target.

Besides, Nakahara has already been kidnapped once, so the church is likely keeping a close eye on her.

The problem is Sasaki and Shii.

…These two actually get caught up in the freight car incident in the original work. They don’t die because they’re the protagonists, but still.

I wanted to prevent that from happening.

I told Yuka everything from these speculations except the part about Sasaki and Shii.

“…”

After listening and pondering deeply, Yuka frowned.

“Then, isn’t Shii in too much danger? She takes the train alone at night.”

“…”

I couldn’t deny it.

I only think that Kosuzu and Waitley are probably prowling around Ota Ward right now.

If I asked Kagami, I’d get a straightforward answer, but Yuka has been with me continuously since yesterday. There hasn’t been a chance to contact Kagami.

“Well, alright. I don’t think everything you’ve said is correct, but it does make sense. But I’m annoyed that our family seems to be underestimated. My job is to fight against those yokai.”

“…They probably underestimated you.”

Kosuzu has an inflated ego. She lives for her own self-importance and doesn’t even try to listen to others.

From my perspective, she’s honestly not “competent.” I should say she has “talent.” She’s the type who relied too much on that talent and fell into corruption.

…Well, I suppose you could say she was corrupt from the beginning, given her affiliation with the cult.

This is something I’ve observed a bit in Kagami too, not just Kosuzu. Generally, people who believe in a god think their god is the supreme deity and that gods of other religions either don’t exist or are fundamentally wrong. This self-righteous character tends to intensify as one moves toward what are commonly called “pseudo-religions” or “cults.”

Add to that a god who actually exists and someone who has received their power standing right in front of you, and it’s easy to look down on other beings.

After all, Kosuzu has that Waitley with her. Whether she created it or brought it from somewhere, I have no way of knowing right now.

So, she underestimated them.

They cooperate with government agencies but aren’t one themselves; they’re a religion but not a massive worldwide one. They have a sword that can cut yokai, but only one. They have purifying arrows, but Kosuzu probably judged those insufficient to defeat yokai.

“Ha.”

At my explanation, Yuka let out a hollow laugh.

Then, with fiery eyes, she said:

“That really pisses me off. When I meet her, I’ll have to teach her a lesson.”

“Be careful.”

“I know.”

Yuka looked at me as she spoke.

“You said the enemy is invisible. If it at least looked human, I could adjust the distance.”

Yuka thought for a moment and then spoke again.

“I understand why you think that way. But I don’t believe it’s 100 percent correct. Kosuzu might be in Ota Ward. And what you found might be traces of a freight car. But the idea that the two are connected seems a bit far-fetched.”

How do they control ordinary yokai?

Loneliness isn’t an “ordinary” yokai…

“That’s… something we need to investigate more.”

When I said that, Yuka nodded.

“Good. Then let’s investigate together from now on.”

“…”

Yes, I expected it would come to this.

Having almost died while investigating alone, I had no logical argument against it.

“Waa?”

Koko, who had been listening to our conversation, tilted her head with a puzzled expression, as if she wasn’t sure whether she understood or not.