Episode 57 — Storming in
～ Part 1 ～
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Nekomiya Miya wasn’t that well-informed about the illusory creature called Cait Sith.
However, she had read in several books that it was the origin of the motif for «Puss in Boots». That is to say, . Its appearance is not the middle of human and cat like Lycanthrope but closer to a cat.
Nekomiya, when she reincarnated as the cait sith, she didn’t receive that much shock. Having made a name for herself as a child actor for a period of time, and now aiming to become an actress, for Nekomiya, life was role playing. Even if her appearance had become a cat, she never lose sight of herself that she should act.
The cait sith of this world has an ability revolving around shadows. If thinking that it is something expanded from the image of black cats, it cannot be said to be too off an ability. They can move from shadow to shadow, use magic with shadow as resources. Using up shadow and the target dies, but if you leave some behind, it will return to original. The shadow of this world has a magical phenomenon directly connected to one’s life force, so thought Nekomiya, but she instantly forgot about it. If gifted with power, I should just use it.
When it came to infiltration mission, it surely was the place to make the best use of this ability.
Inugami, at Jindai High School cat vs dog factional conflict, was an existence similar to a thorn to her side, but at the same time, was also an important classmate.
“(Important classmate, is it?)”
Nekomiya — having just invaded into the house by using «Shadow Passage» — muttered to herself.
“(Even I have become quite sentimental)”
2nd year class 4 was a good class. There were many willful students with class rep Ryuzaki being on top of the list, nevertheless, she felt that its unity was on the better side. Their unity had been exhibited properly at events such as school festival or field trip, Nekomiya also didn’t hate lending a hand to such a class at all.
But still, she felt that it was a little different from the mentality to say that a classmate is ‘important’.
In the job that she had volunteered for right now, if she went about it unskillfully, being injured or even die would just be natural. She invaded enemy territory in order to save her kidnapped classmate. Even if she got high ability after reincarnating as a monster, when thinking calmly, one could only say she had gone crazy or something. On top of that, it was to save Inugami Hibiki whom she couldn’t say she was close to at all.
Nevertheless, Nekomiya thought that what she was doing was only natural.
Not just Nekomiya. The members she had selected, Saruwatari, Kagoi and Karasuma the 3 people had participated in this rescue mission without making an unpleasant face. Perhaps, the reaction would be the same even if she was to nominate other people.
Did my sense of crisis paralyze?
Did I become strange in the head?
The calm part of Nekomiya Miya showed itself and raised these questions. As a self-proclaimed cynic, Nekomiya had pondered about it for a whole night, but she got no answer in the end.
“Nekomiya, what’s the matter?”
Karasuma Yoshitsune who reincarnated as a crow tengu, suppressed his voice and asked.
“It’s nothing important.”
Nekomiya closed her eyes and made a self-depreciatory smile.
“‘Come to think of it, we’ve come a long way’, or so I’m thinking.”
She ambiguously glossed over the change to her mind with such words.
Come to think of it, we’ve come a long way.
The various incidents that had happened so far were changing the awareness of the students — including herself — little by little. Therefore, she was able to announce candidacy for this kind of dangerous mission and participate. I don’t want to victims like Washio to come out ever again, she too had that kind of feelings.
It can be expressed as their bond had deepened, but in the end, whatever kind of words she exhausted, it would still turn out to be cliché. As one who aimed to be a stage actress, she was going to acknowledge the fact that there was fewer people who can express themselves with words in this world.
“Now then, it’s indoor but … heat and humidity aren’t that different from outside…”
“The making improve the ventilation though.”
Karasuma said while restlessly looking around.
“However, there are less windows compared to other houses in the village.”
Kagoi silently opened his mouth and muttered.
“Yes, I’m also concerned about that. Naturally, there are windows, but … they’re not so many.”
“This is very unusual for a southern island.”
Nekomiya’s words, Saruwatari also agreed.
There are things they don’t want others to see, or there are things they don’t want to let escape outside?
She made those conjectures. Neither of those had any positive proof, but along with the fact that Inugami was taken captive here, she had a sense that the appearance of the vampire lurking inside was getting clearer.
“Let’s stop the idle chitchat here. Since the landlord may be here, let’s carefully go look for Inugami.”
Everyone nodded to Nekomiya’s instruction.
The place the crept into looked like the kitchen. There was an old fashion stove and a lidded water jug. Around here was unusual, there was a strangely properly made shelf and several seasoning bottles put on it.
“(Soy sauce, salt and pepper…. All of these seasonings has Japanese labels stuck on…)”
Does this mean they regularly have allowances from the former world? Absolutely enviable.
“(There’s even chicken ramen. Their normal eating habit is not different from human huh)”
Immediately after coming out from the kitchen was the living room. In this Albadanba, it should have been popular to seat on the ground and have their meals, but as before, properly made desk and chairs were placed in the living room. Seeing that there were about 3 chairs, it probably meant that visitors among the islanders were regularly shown in.
In the living room, there were a power generator and an electric fan, furthermore, books that appeared to be from the original world, calculators, etc, were left there. The books were all about economics. Among the documents put on the shelf, there were many old fashioned ones.
These too might become important clue in order to investigate Red Moon. Nekomiya reach her hand out, but naturally, the 50 centimeters her couldn’t reach it. Kagoi, being considerate, gathered several of those documents and gave them to her.
Lightly showing her gratitude with her hand, she opened the documents.
“(A company transfer of right note … ‘s copy?)”
Apparently, the landlord here had been living quite a good life in the original world.
But, they weren’t things that could become any clues. Nekomiya shrugged her shoulder and returned them to Kagoi.
“(Nekomiya!)”
Saruwatari made his voice ride the wind and give it directionality, letting it reaching only Nekomiya and Kagoi’s ears. When she turned around, Saruwatari and Karasuma were beckoning her in the inner part of the room. She moved while making sure not to make any sound of footsteps, there, they opened the door in front of them and indicated the place ahead with their fingers.
“(Stairs to the basement…!”)
Nekomiya opened her eyes wide.
That there was a basement was a little unexpected. A light salty smell was being carried along with the chilly air. Perhaps it was connected to a submarine cavern? There was a little hesitation, but Nekomiya looked around at everyone, then set foot onto the stairs leading underground.
Kagoi and the others nodded and followed after her.
Too much tension, her tail stood up straight. The tingling atmosphere seemed to transmitted from her whiskers to her entire body. Cat’s whiskers were said to be sensory organs, it had already been 2 months and a bit since her body become this way. That story, she had many chances to actually feel it with her own body.
The stone wall continued for a little while, but soon, it changed to a natural rugged rock wall. As expected, it was originally a submarine cavern. An opening was connected to the ground above, then a house was built on top, or something like that? On the wall, there were no seaweeds or barnacles attached. In other words, seawater wouldn’t come up this far even at high tide.
Before long, the stairs ended, they arrived at the lower part of the dim submarine cavern.
“D–dark…”
The whispering voice of Karasuma reverberated greatly within the darkness.
Nekomiya’s eyes were accustomed to the dark. If she had a few seconds, she would be able to see with a sense no different at all from above ground. However, no light meant that the shadow melt into the darkness, she wouldn’t be able to use shadow magic in this state so it wasn’t too favorable a situation.
Suddenly, she saw a shadow stirring in the corner of her view.
“Inugami…?”
When Nekomiya called out, the shadow slowly raised their face. Reflecting the slight bit of light spilling from the ground above, it shined a golden color.
The cait sith’s eyes clearly grasped the girl’s face. Disheveled silver hair. Unmistakably Inugami.
“Inugami, you’re safe…. We’ve come to save you!”
Looking at Inugami being thrown around still naked, Nekomiya confirmed her body despite knowing it was rude. It didn’t look like there was any trace of assault. At the same time as feeling relieved, Nekomiya thought that being seen naked might as well be similar.
No, let’s just be happy that she’s safe right now. Nekomiya rushed over to Inugami, trailing behind her were Saruwatari and the others.
“Inugami is there? I can’t see well.”
“You don’t need to see in this case…. Inugami, you okay? Can you understand me?”
Although she did ask ‘can you understand?’, Nekomiya didn’t expect any answer. Inugami’s mouth was plugged by a gag-like something. In the middle of the bitten object was a large ring, from within her mouth, saliva kept dripping out. The floor being sticking was probably because of that. First, Nekomiya removed that tragic looking thing.
“Neko, miya…”
“They did something so cruel…. Why something…”
Suddenly, she noticed that there was a bucket in the vicinity of Inugami’s face, but Nekomiya didn’t pay much heed to it.
“Saruwatari, Karasuma, please take care of the chains attached to Inugami’s hands and feet.”
“Ch–chain…!?”
She heard Saruwatari who was flustered by the vivid description.
“Please wait Nekomiya, our vision doesn’t work satisfactorily in this situation. What’s going to happen if we carelessly touch some strange place!”
“I, as a girl, will just beat you up though.”
“I don’t want to take such a risky bet! Even if that’s youth…!”
Karasuma certainly didn’t voice any words, but it seemed that he had mostly the same sentiment as Saruwatari. However, now that she couldn’t use shadow magic, Nekomiya cannot cut the chain, so…
Just as she was thinking, Nekomiya acute sense of hearing captured footsteps. Her ears stood up straight, she looked up.
“(Damn it…!)”
The landlord was coming down. Did he noticed this tumult or did he not? Perhaps the later. However, the sound of footsteps stopped once, then it became a little faster, thinking about that, it was very likely that he had already noticed them anyway.
Inugami’s ears seemed to have sensed that as well. Looking at the appearance of the two who got silent, the man immediately took back their tension. They gathered in front of Nekomiya and Inugami, then turned their gaze toward the stairs.
“Hou.”
The man who came down, had a pair of blood red eyes that shined clearly even in this darkness.
“I thought that there’s no chance this would happen, but preys have come. It’s quite worthwhile to keep the dog alive.”
To be continued…
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