Chapter 55

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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In the end, I didn’t get to meet Yuuki that day.

With so many people gathered, I understood why. Even if I had tried to find her on purpose, it would have been difficult.

I debated whether to call her. If her family was there together, a call could have helped us meet nearby. But I fiddled with my phone until a few minutes before the fireworks ended, then just put it back in my pocket.

Yuuki probably needed time with her family too.

No matter how close you are as friends, if you get too close and become a burden, it can ruin things. Yuuki is kind, so if I asked her to meet, she wouldn’t refuse.

After what happened two days ago, we both needed some peaceful time to enjoy daily life.

…And honestly, there was one more reason.

It wasn’t until I had almost finished watching the fireworks that I realized Yuuki might have lied to me.

She might have heard me mention my plans with a friend and said she had plans with her family to avoid making me feel guilty.

Once that thought crossed my mind, I became scared to call her.

What if instead of saying “let’s meet,” she said, “sorry, I don’t think I can make it today,” followed by some other excuse?

I’d feel too sorry for Yuuki.

…Is it strange to be thinking like this?

I consider Yuuki a close friend, but she’s not really family. Even if we’re close, it’s not like she’s obligated to go that far for me.

Worrying that Yuuki might have lied because she was worried about me seems a bit odd, too.

“So, are you free next month?” Fukuda asked me once again before we parted ways.

I nodded.

“I think I’ll be free.”

“Great, I’ll take that as a yes.”

Miura and Yamashita had also agreed to meet.

It seemed Miura, Yamashita, and Fukuda all lived nearby, at least within Minato Ward.

Yamashita definitely lived within Minato Ward.

After parting ways with the three, I headed home, and it was already close to ten o’clock.

“……”

I entered the dark house, turned on the lights, and took off my clothes.

After a quick shower and change of clothes, I sat in front of the fan.

“……”

Hmm.

If I had been alone the entire time from the beginning, maybe I wouldn’t feel this empty.

Before I moved here, I lived alone for a few years. I had some friends, but I didn’t meet them often, and I never invited them to my small apartment.

Living alone, I didn’t have any family to support. So, when someone had to take time off for family matters, I’d often cover for them.

As a result, my home became just a place to sleep. I cleaned and cooked to live somewhat normally, but it was a sparse, undecorated space.

After staying up all night, I’d come home, collapse and sleep for hours, then wake up, fiddle with my smartphone, play on the computer a bit, and half-watch movies without finishing them.

“I lived a pretty meaningless life.”

If I were an incredibly positive person, maybe I would have been grateful to have helped so many people—but honestly, I wasn’t that nice.

How about now?

“I guess I’m doing a little better now.”

I muttered to myself for no reason.

Why do I feel so empty?

Objectively speaking, I’ve spent much more time alone. Yamashita only stayed over for a few days, and Yuuki only came over to sleep a few times.

Ah, I see.

It’s because I’m not going to school tomorrow. For real.

Until the end of August, I’ll be spending time alone.

“No, that’s not right.”

Today’s a holiday.

I’m still going to work tomorrow. Even in summer, you’ve got to work.

My working hours remain the same. There’s already someone working the shift before me, and if I extended my hours, they’d have to be let go. The boss isn’t generous enough to spend double the money just to keep someone around. She might give out things she considers unnecessary, though.

“…I wonder if Kuro’s doing okay.”

The little black kitten whose name shared half of mine.

It had grown a bit while staying with Shii, but it was still small enough to be called a baby.

Hmm.

Should I go check on it before heading to work tomorrow?

Who knows? Maybe I’ll run into Shii.

With that thought, I went to bed a little earlier than usual.

…But lately, I haven’t heard any snoring from the room next door.

Maybe they moved?

Well, whatever. It’s nice and quiet, so I’m fine with it…

—

“Kuro~ Kuro~”

After calling out a few times at the spot where Kuro usually got tuna from Shii, a small black bundle of fur appeared at the edge of my sight.

I opened the can of tuna I had bought for the cat and put it in the food bowl. Kuro hurried over and devoured the tuna as if waiting for it.

“……”

I quietly watched Kuro.

Is it just me, or did the black fur seem a bit thinner since I last saw it after summer break started? Judging by how fast it was eating, it seemed like it hadn’t eaten in a while.

Carefully, I reached out to stroke Kuro’s fur.

People say stray cats are dirty, but how can you just watch without touching them?

You can always wash your hands afterward.

As I continued to watch Kuro, it finished eating the tuna and looked up at me.

“Meow.”

A tiny, adorable sound typical of a kitten.

Maybe it was because Kuro was still small, but its eyes were big compared to its face, making it look especially cute.

“……”

Should I just take it home?

Of course, there’d be a lot to consider. I’ve never owned a pet before. In fact, I’ve even killed a few plants that I tried to grow.

But…

Hmm.

Still, I feel like just taking it with me wouldn’t be right.

Kuro seemed to get along well with Shii. After all, Shii was the one who took care of it first.

If I took Kuro without saying anything, Shii would be worried. I should talk to her first.

Okay, let’s at least mention it.

—

“Kuro?”

“Yeah.”

When I mentioned it to Shii at the maid café, she looked at me with wide eyes and asked again.

Thankfully, she didn’t insist on taking Kuro herself.

Instead, she smiled brightly, grabbed both of my hands tightly, and said,

“You’re offering to take care of Kuro?”

“…Yeah.”

I just don’t feel like being alone in my room.

“I’m still thinking about it.”

Being alone in the room.

I didn’t want to take Kuro on a whim just because I felt lonely, only to leave it neglected.

But I also couldn’t imagine keeping a cat inside and then leaving it outside.

…And I wasn’t sure I could handle getting another cat either.

Bringing a living creature into the house required serious thought.

“If I end up taking care of the cat… I might have to quit my job.”

I said with a serious expression.

“Oh… that’s true. Kuro’s still young.”

Shii thought for a moment.

In the end, the two of us couldn’t come to a definite conclusion.

It really was hard for busy people to own pets. It was bound to affect the animal’s health in the end.

“…Oh, by the way, senpai.”

“Yeah?”

After a brief pause, Shii seemed to remember something she had forgotten and spoke up.

“Well… My brother and I were planning a trip during the break.”

“…Yeah.”

Oh.

I was a bit surprised by Shii’s words.

I had planned to join them in hunting the Raiju, but I didn’t expect her to invite me directly like this.

It seemed that Sasaki’s friends were also coming along, and Shii was tagging along.

It wasn’t that she was forcing herself on them. In fact, the ones imposing were the three heroines: Nakahara, the childhood friend, Hagiwara, the senior character, and the main heroine, Yuuki.

There wasn’t much reason for Yuuki to tag along here, so it would probably just be two of them.

In the original, the reason for joining was, “Shii’s the only girl, right?”

Of course, they didn’t mention that Shii was clearly wary of them, so clueless Sasaki just thought, “I guess so?”

Maybe the words I had shared with Sasaki made the effect even stronger in this world.

“Would you like to come along too? The cost—”

“I’ll pay my share.”

I replied.

It was just a domestic trip within Japan. It was by the sea, but not too far from Tokyo, if I remembered correctly.

Besides, I already had some money saved, and the fifty thousand yen Yuuki’s family gave me from the last incident would cover the cost.

I was already mentally calculating how to use that money while listening to Shii.

Wow, things have really turned around for me.

After thinking for a moment, I said,

“…Can I invite a friend too?”

“Oh, sure! The pension is pretty big, so it’ll be fine! …Honestly, I’d feel more comfortable if you did. I was worried that you’d feel uncomfortable because of my request…”

I looked at Shii for a moment and then ruffled her hair.

“Ah, senpai?”

The way she reacted was just like her older brother.

“When’s the trip?”

“

Right before school starts. The day after we return to Tokyo is the first day back.”

It seemed that Hanagawa High School’s schedule closely matched the middle school’s, except for the festival periods.

Good.

That means it won’t overlap with my plans with Miura.

I nodded at Shii.

While this wasn’t something I had intentionally decided, it still gave me an opportunity to get involved in the main storyline with Yuuki.

…Though I felt a little bad for Yuuki.

—

For now, I decided to leave Kuro where it was. Once I took it home, there would be no option to abandon it.

I made up my mind to take my time and carefully think things over again as I headed back home—

“……”

“……”

Right in front of the stairway corridor leading to my place stood the Namahage.

In case you forgot, it’s the oni-like yokai that saved me from the stalker.

It wasn’t holding a kitchen knife like last time. Well, that’s only natural, right?

When it saw me, the Namahage fumbled nervously with the door handle, but it seemed the door wouldn’t open.

“…Aren’t you hot in that?”

The summer heat had truly started. Even at night, the temperature hardly dropped, and it was humid. I had been sweating all the way from the station to here.

After I spoke, the man seemed to realize that he was still wearing the Namahage mask.

He hastily removed the mask, revealing a white cloth wrapped around his head, and his face was drenched in sweat. I thought so.

“Ah, sorry. Did I scare you?”

I shook my head.

The first time I saw him, I did think he was scary.

But it wasn’t because of his appearance.

I knew about the existence of yokai.

It was just bad timing, right after nearly being assaulted by the stalker. I thought the Namahage was the real thing and almost slashed my wrist to summon a blade.

If the man hadn’t calmly told me not to do it, I might have actually attacked him without knowing anything.

“…I seem to have lost my house key.”

“……”

I stared at the man for a moment.

“Ah, you can go ahead.”

He said, stepping aside to let me pass.

I gave him a small nod and walked past.

It wasn’t like the corridor was too narrow. It was wide enough for two people to stand side by side, so it wasn’t difficult to pass by the man standing by the door.

However, since he was dressed in the traditional straw cloak of the Namahage, I had to be careful not to get straw stuck all over my clothes.

I carefully passed him without touching his back and entered my place.

“…Phew.”

I was about to take off my clothes—

When I remembered that the man was still outside, dressed like that, and couldn’t get into his house.

…He did save my life once, so it felt wrong to just leave him out in this weather.

But how could I help?

“……”

Maybe I could.

After a brief moment of contemplation, I decided to give it a try.

I opened my first-aid kit and cut a suitable length of bandage.

Then I grabbed a sharp kitchen knife—

And carefully, without rushing, I lightly cut my wrist, just enough to let a small amount of blood seep out.

“Hmph.”

As I did this, I heard a voice, amused.

It wasn’t that I physically saw anything, but I could sense the presence observing me with interest.

Whether it was because this body was an avatar or not, I had a vague understanding of Nirlass’ actions.

Maybe Nirlass was teaching me on purpose. I didn’t know the reason, but it was probably just because it found it more entertaining.

“Are you thinking of cutting open the door with the knife?”

“No.”

This time, time didn’t freeze, so I wiped my wrist with a cloth.

I hadn’t cut deeply like usual, so the blood didn’t gush out. The wound was shallow.

It stung, but I had gotten somewhat used to it by now.

“Can you make a key?”

“A key, huh.”

Nirlass chuckled softly.

“You’re certain you want to help this man? Are you fond of him?”

“Of course not.”

At least ten years separated us. Though I didn’t think the gap was as wide as twenty years, it wasn’t the age difference that mattered but the fact that we were different genders.

Even though I was in this body, my sexual orientation remained the same as in my previous life.

“I’m just repaying the favor.”

“Oh?”

“And wouldn’t you want to repay it too? If that man hadn’t come out with the knife back then, I would have died.”

“Why do you assume I’d regret your death?”

I was the thousand-and-first, wasn’t I?

But still.

“Because I’m the thousand-and-first.”

Yes, that’s right.

If I’m the thousand-and-first, where are the previous thousand? They could be on another planet, or there might be other avatars in this world too.

But Kagami had shown great interest in me, and Miura-san seemed to as well.

Even Yuuki’s grandfather seemed to know something, yet he kept me close.

And more importantly, being in the class next to Sasaki’s was incredibly suspicious. The way strange things kept happening was another clue.

So I had already concluded that this Kurosawa Kotone character was probably quite important in the novel.

Born without a personality, she gradually developed one while attending school, but after going through many unfortunate events, she became completely broken and turned into a vessel.

Well, isn’t that a familiar story? Even though the novel probably depicted it differently, I could already name several characters with similar backstories.

So, this body is special.

Especially because I entered a situation where there should have been nothing.

Even Nirlass didn’t know about me.

“A broken toy would be a waste.”

At my words, Nirlass remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle.

“You’re right. If you were to break, it would be unfortunate. I suppose it’s only fair to reward the one who prevented that.”

Nirlass said.

“How about repaying him with your body? You could offer him a place to sleep in this room.”

“……”

I made a face of disbelief, and as if it could see me, Nirlass spoke.

“You really are a stubborn creature.”

Then, the blood trickling from my shallow cut lifted into the air.

It wasn’t enough to form a blade.

The droplets of blood squirmed in the air, slowly taking the shape of a key. The overall shape was similar to my room key, but the details were slightly different from the familiar one.

I grabbed the key, quickly wiped my wrist with a cloth, and wrapped it with the prepared bandage.

It wouldn’t take more than a few minutes, so I wouldn’t get caught. I tied a hairband over the bandage and, holding the key, stood up again.

When I opened the door and went out, the man was still standing in front of his door.

He was fiddling with his phone, probably trying to call someone, but he didn’t seem to actually be making the call.

At this time of night, all the locksmiths would be asleep.

And calling the police seemed a bit extreme.

“Please step aside.”

I walked over, turned my back to him, and carefully hid the key from view as I unlocked the door.

“Huh?”

When I opened the door for him, the man looked at me with a bewildered expression.

What?

Did I seem like a stalker?

I guess it would be creepy to think that the girl next door had a key to your house.

“It’s a master key.”

I said immediately.

“Huh?”

“My mom owns the building.”

“…Oh…”

Strictly speaking, it was probably the cult or Kagami who owned it.

It did feel a bit strange.

From the moment I first woke up in this world, I had worried about rent, but I had never actually paid it.

Maybe Kagami only owned the room I was living in, and not the rest of the building. If the man asked, I could always call and have someone explain for me.

“…Thanks.”

I shrugged my shoulders and turned back to enter my place.

I threw the blood key into the bathroom. After bouncing off the floor tiles a few times, it quickly melted into a puddle of blood.

Feeling a bit tired, I changed into comfortable clothes.

…Maybe I should wait for the bleeding to stop before washing up.

With that thought, I turned on the TV.

And that night, too, I didn’t hear any snoring.

Maybe he changed his sleeping position? I didn’t know.