Chapter 223 4 Sides, Every Story
「It looks like the end…」
I muttered to myself on the way back from the stadium, when I was left alone with Ui-chan after leaving the others.
We were on the rural road from the station to our house.
On our way, as it still summer after the Obon festival and the time was evening, many dragonflies were flying around.
I think it was because the scenery made me feel sentimental…
「Ah, it’s over」
Ui-chan replied, and we were silent again.
Today, we finally retired from our club activities.
When it’s over, I don’t know if it was long, short, fun, or painful.
In the last competition, the number of the members had decreased drastically, and the results were not so great.
Takasago won the high jump, and Ui-chan won the third place in the 3,000m. These are the only two results we can be proud of.
As for me, well, I guess I don’t need to say anything.
One more person, Shiratori, who was sure to win the prize, gave up early because she was sick. I think she just became uninterested.
（I really don’t understand my niece, but that girl always…）
Besides, when I called out to her that I was leaving, she said she had something to do.
（…where did she go with her bad health?）
The next captain of the club is Amemiya, and the vice captain is Ninagawa.
The only other second-year students are Shiratori and Takasago, so it’s a process of elimination.
Amemiya was very reluctant to accept the position, but there is no one else, so it can’t be helped.
Anyway, this is the end of our club activities.
What awaits us is the entrance exam.
「Oh no… studying for exams from here. It’s so hard… I haven’t decided where to go yet… Ui-chan is going to a national law university, right?」
「No, I changed to the same university as Confinement King」
「Huhhhhh!?」
This made me blink.
「No surprise there. He wanted to go to a prefectural literature university. Of course, it’s not within commuting distance from home, so he’ll be living on his own. Then, as his wife(Tsuma), I’ll have to take care of him!」
「No, no, no! What do you mean, you’re lowering the rank of the college you want to go to?」
「After all, First Favored Princess is going to a women’s college because of her parents’ policy. Third Favored Princess is going to Tokyo to pursue her career after graduation. Which means, unfortunately, I’m the only one left!」
（She says sadly, but her mouth is so slack! She’s so excited to live with him!）
I was a bit taken aback by this.
On the other hand, I think it is typical of Ui-chan. Once she made up her mind, she goes straight for it.
To tell the truth, if she wants to see Kijima, all she has to do is enter that room, no matter where she goes to school or get a job, so there is no need to choose the same university.
But…
（I wonder if I can manage to get into the literature department of a prefectural university if I work hard from now… Aside from Kijima, I’m worried about Ui-chan. Of course, aside from Kijima…）
As a result, our college of choice was decided on the spur of the moment.
◇ ◇ ◇
「Terashima, I’m going to leave」
The chair creaked and Inomoto-senpai stood up with his jacket under his arm.
「Where to?」
「Oh, to deal with that harassment. It seems somone threw in a dead cat last night…」
There was a request for more patrols at night. But it doesn’t seem like a case the detective would go out on.
Perhaps when I was thinking about it and my face showed it, Inomoto-senpai scratched his head and opened his mouth.
「The wife was frightened out of her wits when I interviewed her. Maybe a word to her while patrolling will make her feel a little more secure. I’ll leave the late nights to the patrolmen」
「If you’re nice to other women, your fiancé-san will be jealous」
「She’s not the kind of person who would be jealous of that, that’s why we got engaged」
I sniffle as I look back at him when he walks away with a wry smile on his face.
（Phew… what a nosy gorilla）
Reaching out to a poor woman may seem like a noble thing to do, but if one doesn’t have the strength to protect her, it’s nothing more than self-satisfaction.
（In this sense, Master is the true man）
When I think of my Master, my heart beats faster. As if to deceive myself, I looked down at the report in my hand.
A cat carcass had been thrown into the garden, and a suspicious woman was seen fleeing.
Last night was the fifth. I’m not sure how she manages to catch so many cats…
（I wonder if I should report to Master just in case…）
Thinking about this, I trace the victim’s occupation with the tip of my pen.
Teacher.
Moreover, he’s a teacher at my Master’s school.
◇ ◇ ◇
「What do you think? I think it was the angel who saved me…」
「Yes, that’s right. It was an angel」
An uninterested reply. The red color dances around Shiratori. That was a lie. Apparently, she doesn’t believe in them at all.
Well, it’s not so easy for ordinary people to believe in angels, is it?
Currently, we are in a park with streetlights. We had left the stadium and were sitting on a bench by the pond.
In the distance, a lingering sun scorches the sky with a reddish-black color that is being swallowed by the dark night sky.
「Leaving aside who rescued you, if it was Fujiwara-senpai who kidnapped you, it’s not good. We have to assume that they know where you live, and we don’t know when they will attack you」
Shiratori said calmly. Then my sister(onee-chan) interrupted her.
「Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the devil tonight」
「Take care of what?」
「It’s obvious. I’ll go and beat it」
Shiratori looked at me like, “What is this brainiac talking about?” and I chuckled.
「I know it sounds absurd, but it makes sense. Attack is the best defense. We know exactly where the enemy is」
「You mean going to the Fujiwara residence?」
「Yes」
My sister(onee-chan) nodded loudly, and I caught her slurring her words.
「It doesn’t mean going in head-on. Even though Onee-chan looks like this, she’s good at sneaking. I mean sneaking in and getting rid of Mai Fujiwara while she’s sleeping」
Then Shiratori put her finger on her chin and made a thoughtful gesture.
Probably, she was worried about the change from the original arrangement of the TV special.
「Since it’s Fumio who’s going to be hanged in the show, it’s okay if we take care of the devil first, right?」
「Yeah, well, I guess so. I’ve asked the TV station to bring in a show about the kidnapper and how they exposed the lie. I went through an entertainment agency that I have contacts with」
「You just told them? I thought there was a contract?」
My sister(onee-chan) looks exasperated, and Shiratori accepts it with an ugly face.
「It’s almost a done deal. The producer is in a flutter. I’ve given him the video of you chasing down the scammer, and he wants to start the discussion right away」
I saw a blue light. There’s no lie in Shiratori’s words now.
Shiratori is good.
「Ahaha, I guess the day when we become a big name is just around the corner. Shiratori, when that happens, will you officially become our manager?」
Then she said, choosing her words carefully.
「Sorry, but there’s a boy I’m interested in. I’d like to focus on him, so I’ll have to decline」
Surprisingly, blue, she wasn’t lying.
It was quite unexpected that she was interested in romantic affairs.
◇ ◇ ◇
「Mai-sama, your meal is ready」
「Yes yes, I’ll be right there」
I heard Maid’s voice outside the door, and Annabelle, the devil doll, replied in a very stupid way.
When I glared at her as I heard the Maid’s footsteps moving away, Annabelle cowered exaggeratedly.
「Don’t be angry, it’s not my fault」
Ulrich had not returned to the appointed place.
The useless puppet had simply confirmed that one of the foreign(gaijin) women whom she had kidnapped had returned to the stadium, and had simply left the scene.
「In the first place, I’m not good at fighting, and there were signs of other devils at that place」
That’s unacceptable.
「You mean Liliamos was there?」
「Well, I don’t know. It was a very small presence. It’s hard to identify it. But I felt it near the foreign(gaijin) woman, so maybe it was there」
If that’s the case, then it’s safe to assume that foreign(gaijin) woman who was almost kidnapped by Annabelle has told Liliamos about it.
While thinking so, I pat my swollen belly.
Even if I lose Ulrich, if I can buy a little more time, our strength will be fine.
The baby will be born soon. Ophirus has recovered and should be here soon.
（Only a few more days… I’d better lay low）
